The Heavenly Appeal
by ThexTalesxOfxLadyxShiri
Summary: Enduring painfully through trials of consequence, death, or just plain circumstance, people would give almost anything to have another chance with their loved one. With this particular romance that surpasses lifetimes, Chardonnay Blackburn simply wants an out from the constant love story that has no foreseeable ending, especially when she isn't the only one in danger of heartbreak.
1. Left To Their Imagination

_My first ever fanfiction and story on this site - more like EVER! I want to make a good first impression since I worked hard on it. I'm honestly nervous on what you guys think, but this is one way to practice writing, which I LOVE doing by the way, so please, read! I would appreciate any comment, whether opinions or criticism. I'm a beginner at this so again, be gentle. LOL. I do not own Vampire Diaries! As much as everyone here reading wants to as well, we sadly are mere storytellers of our own versions of the original tale. **Two points of view . . . Heidi and Chardonnay.** Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter One**

**Left To Their Imagination**

-The New World-

1024

"Heidi!" I looked up from my work, frightened to face Yvonne's snapping impatience. It took me a moment to realize I had been frozen with apprehension for she yelled in her crisp voice again, _"Heidi!"_

Collecting my thoughts, I rushed to my feet and nearly tripped at the edges of my already torn skirt. "Coming!"

I ran out of the meeting hall after stacking the books correctly and didn't notice my aunt exiting out of the dinning hall. Even with my lack of acknowledgement, she understood my haste since these occurences had happened too many times throughout the years. It was better for my sake to humor Yvonne before she followed on her tendencies to punish me for my _laziness_. Upon reaching her door, I took a calming breath and forced my anxiety to the deepest part of my stomach. My mistress was not a kind woman indeed, but I could not force her to change for a girl she obviously did not care for.

"Yvonne?" I called out unevenly, cursing myself when my voice wavered with uncertainty.

In the silence, I could literally hear the smirk in Yvonne's voice as she snapped at me to get in. As she stood in front of me, my mistress was a beautiful girl of twenty three years. Her golden ringlets were combed away from her pale oval face, her skin was flawless and clear from the lack of dirty work, and her doe-like eyes shone under the color of spring grass. They proceeded to narrow at my figure, a nasty glint flashing in those green orbs. She abruptly turned and threw her wooden brush at me. "Here!"

Catching it with ease, I swallowed nervously when she seemed displeased at my fast reflexes. "You wish for me to brush your hair?"

"Was I not clear enough?" Yvonne growled harshly. "And wash your hands. My hair is not a rag to clean the dirt in them." After doing as she said, she allowed me to comb through her soft curls as I always did when we were younger. When I accidentally yanked too hard, she let out a peeved hiss. "Gentler, Heidi!"

"Forgive me-"

"Slow as a snail, are we?"

"It has been a long morning . . ." I replied carefully.

After another agitated glare, she settled back into her seat with a hard scowl that twitched upward at each slow breath. "Just mind what you are doing!"

I could not help but envy her slightly - though not for her appearance or her terrible personality - but for the amount of freedom she was entitled to at birth. I was given the same right which I unwillingly lost as a child out of desperation from my family to enter into the new world. Yvonne could do most of what she wanted to and was not bound by servitude to another family. After Tatia, Yvonne was also courted by many suitors and crowded by rows of admirers. Friends were not hard to come by for a woman such as her, despite her rotten characteristics of greed and vanity.

"A new group of people have arrived, fresh from sea." When I stayed silent, Yvonne faced me again with a raised eyebrow. "Well?"

"Yes Yvonne?"

She shot me an annoyed sneer before returning to her train of thought. "I can only imagine the stories they will tell of the world _outside_ this miniscule of a village. Are you not excited to meet with such people - well, that is if you shall ever meet them?"

I meekly nodded, not knowing what to say. It was unlike Yvonne to confide her thoughts in me, but her obvious eagerness seemed to roll off her aura in crashing waves. She was hardly standing still in front of the mirror as she unsuccessfully worked to keep her composure. "Y-Yes, I suppose. I had heard about them."

Her eyes snapped back to me questioningly. "Have you no curiosity about these men?"

"Men?" I repeated in a blank tone. That was embarrassingly not what I had heard from Tatia.

She sighed dejectedly, "I should have not asked such a question to you, a virgin. You of all people have no knowledge of that subject."

My cheeks flamed with embarrassment. _I suppose not . . ._

From the sheets I had cleaned from Yvonne's room, I knew without a doubt that Yvonne was anything but innocent. I had mentioned this to Aunt Sylvia who had made me swore not to gossip of such things, especially with Tatia. She too was not pure, but she was better than Yvonne in most ways, even with a child perched on her arm. Looking around her room, I fought back a pathetic whimper for I had already spent half the day cleaning her quarters. Piles of dresses, once folded, were scattered over the bed and her things were pushed from the shelves to the floor in messy stacks. She liked things spotless and neat when she brought home friendly guests whom I also sworn not to mention, specifically to her parents.

"Then again it is not like you to hold any charm to any man, witch." Despite the sting of her words, I kept silent and finished the twines of her hair. Glancing at her reflection, a narcissistic look passed her face and a self-satisfied smile appeared on her lips. She was obviously pleased with my braiding work but would never mention that aloud. She was too prideful for that. "I want you to clean my room, Heidi. I shall be heading to the village with my companions. If fortune is on my side, I will meet these foreigners that my parents have mentioned with immense interest."

"Yes, Yvonne."

She brushed past my shoulder, her lips twitching downward. "Finish your work before you scamper off to that pathetic friend of yours. Tatia, is it?" When I didn't answer, she scoffed with clear pomposity. "_Any_ friend is better than none, I can only imagine, even if it is the village strumpet."

_How dare she!_

Yvonne grinned at my obvious indignation. "You, my precious Heidi, have nothing to say. You _can't._"

I could only sigh with relief when the door closed behind me and collapsed to the floor, taking a deep breath and closing my eyes shut. A part of me was immediately ashamed for not defending my oldest and only friend. Tatia was someone I admired; she was not swayed so easily like I was, and had the courage to remain standing tall even after giving birth to a human being. Even if she had been spoken for at a much younger age, Tatia was still greatly desired in this village. Her determination was something I wanted for myself, as selfish as that sounded, but I knew I would never acquire such a thing. To others, I seemed weak and soft-willed.

_Were they right to say those things?_

Staring at my reflection from the glass, I met my alarming gaze. It was clear that I held no challenge compared to Yvonne's beauty or class. A messy braid of light blond waves framed an oval face, a small mouth with a full bottom lip that seemed to overpower her top one, and a button nose. Dirt was smudged across my temple, a faint scar at the edge of my chin, and abnormal eyes completed my faded portrait. Jaded green thinly layered around the irises with hazel brown filling in its middle. At the outer edges of the circles were strange mixtures of violet and blue - indigo, perhaps? My stare either striked fascination or fear, but I knew no witchcraft.

_I am no witch_, I repeated to myself with newfound determination. _I too fear what I do not know. _Refusing to drown in my thoughts, I jumped to my feet and continued on my work.

My small family - that consisted of myself, Aunt Sylvia, and Uncle Johan - were thankful to Yvonne's parents for allowing us to join their travels into entering the new world. My parents had perished in our home village by the plague as many others did; they were only two of the many that died in those dark times. It had been a horrendous experience as a child, both frightening and captivating; the new smells, the different sights, and the interesting natives of the neighboring village. Hopefully, I would not go through a merciless thing again in the near distant future, but who was I to question fate?

Fresh sheets were placed on the bed and her clothes were all folded into neat lines at the shelves, taking a very long time to organize. I gathered the dirty fabrics and made my way to the back way, conscientiously noting not to create much noise. Yvonne was the only exception to the rule, considering she was in other words, a mistress of the house. As it was usual for women to be traded or married off for the welfare of her family at a young age, Yvonne's parents had no need for any more horses or fabrics. They were well off with living on their own wealth.

I could not be married for I had no dowry or no personal appeal to catch a man's interest. Besides, I was a servant and my life was not mine exclusively. _I cannot leave this household . . ._

There was a pool of water behind the large house of stone that was used for cleaning clothes. The manmade shafts were filled to the brink when Aunt Sylvia overflowed them with water from the village wells. I inclined my head when I approached Magdalene, a show of respect. As atrocious Yvonne was to me, I was somewhat attached to her parents. They treated us kindly, fairly, and hardly abused their power compared to some wealthy landowners on the outskirts of the village. She, besides Tatia and my family, was immune to my anomalous gaze.

She patted my forearm gingerly, following me to the kitchen. "Heidi . . ."

Magdalene was a kind-hearted woman and knew of Yvonne's horrible treatment, taking pity on me as usual. I appreciated it when Magdalene scolded Yvonne of her actions - though it was an unusual act done merely once in a while. Nevertheless, thanks to her several interferences, I was not pushed around that much opposed to when Yvonne and I were kids. Back then, I fell for every word her beautiful daughter sprouted out from her mouth, and after years of deceit, I could tell which words were truth and lie that fell from her reddened lips.

"Is it not a beautiful afternoon?"

Politely, I offered a nod. "Yes, it is lovely weather."

"I had guessed you to be with Tatia by now. Today is too good to waste indoors," she remarked softly.

"Not today, no," I responded with a quick frown. The heavy pile of clothes in my arms were starting to make my muscles sore and strained. "I decided to finish my chores before the sun sets."

She pursed her lips. "Do not take too long, child. You are a pale girl. Sunlight will do you well."

"Perhaps after?" I asked warily, uncomfortable with her persistency.

Magdalene gave me a soft smile. "Do not be so shy, Heidi. You have not acted wrongly."

Sheepish, I nodded again and continued my way to the buckets of water outside. "Yes, Magdalene,"

The back garden was facing the forests, the vast entrance to the unknown. Under the sun, it had wonders; though under the moon, it dangerously led my imagination toward objects of righteous fear. I had delved through the paths a few times with Tatia by my side, but I also took care with where I went and never stayed in the meadows too long to cause my aunt and uncle worry. With a lasting glance at the woods, I hurriedly returned to my work. The faster I could finish this, the quicker I could speak to Aunt Sylvia; she deserved that much recognition.

Adding to my growing joy, Magdalene and I had not spoken too soon. The weather was simply perfect with gentle winds, sunshine, and cooling shade. Dragging the remaining wet cloths to the threaded lines - to hang beside the row I had already finished, I finally felt my arms and legs burn from the hauling and lifting. I stretched for a while, pausing to let the breeze pass through my drenched figure in peaceful silence. The only sounds I heard were from the kitchens, sharp yet crisp against my eardrums.

My stomach began to grumble. _"Oh!"_ It was Aunt Sylvia's territory of fire, meat, and dough. If there was time after all the jobs Yvonne assigned, I welcomed the lessons that she taught me concerning the stove, and when my talents became apparent, Magdalene would sometimes permit me to help in the kitchen when an extra hand was needed.

I hurriedly lifted the sheets in my hands after I was fully rested. Using the last of the clips, the drying clothes began to sway with the wind. _I'll have to return to these before night falls_, I noted to myself. It was best to watch out for sly thieves or greedy neighbors.

Before I could walk to the shade, a branch nosily broke behind me. I whirled around, my eyes set forward charily. "Who's there?"

It was an unwelcomed surprise to see another's gaze meeting mine. Oak brown orbs held shock and incredulity as they studied my face which perplexed me to no end. _Must he stare at me so bluntly?_

With long twisted brown waves, high cheekbones, and a very strong square jaw, he was dressed fashionably with rich and textured clothes. He was a very handsome man, and to my guess, towered over me easily with my head barely reaching his chin. His dark locks brushed over his forehead as he silently drew nearer. Closer, the man looked to be past twenty-five years. Twenty-six maybe? Another branch broke under his boot, breaking the daze I was tightly caught in. It did not take long for dread to fill me. I suddenly realized that I was alone with a stranger, a _man_ no less, and opened my mouth to speak out but no words came out.

"Please wait." His sudden warm stare had somehow hypnotized me into silence. "I did not mean to startle you."

Once again, my stomach swirled cordially at the sound of his voice; the words were pronounced awkwardly with his foreign tongue. I attempted to speak, blushing when I made a fool of myself. "Er, y-you s-surprised me. W-What is it that brought you here?" When he didn't answer and only stared, I became worried if I unknowingly offended him. He had to be the foreigner Yvonne had told me of earlier, so would that mean he did not comprehend what I said? "I apologize. I-It was not my intention to upset you by being straightforward."

To my complete bafflement, he started to laugh. It was a steady tone filled with absolute wonder. Catching sight of my confusion, he composed himself, though the smile didn't leave his noticable face. "It is I who should apologize. I have yet to explain myself."

"Yes," I found myself answering breathily, "please do."

The man took one step forward, and in response, I automatically scuttled back; I was still unsure of his intentions or of who he was. A frown marred my face when he raised his hands as a show of mock surrender. It felt like he was toying with me. "I separated myself from my family to inspect the woods. The peacefulness is refreshing."

". . . And?"

"I simply allowed nature to lead me here." The corner of his lips tugged upward. Was that meant to be a jest?

The sentences slipped from my mouth before I could stop myself. "Y-You did not favor being inspected by the entire village on your, um, walk. You too know that they gossip."

He nodded, smirking slightly. "It has happened before so I do not blame them. People cannot help their burning curiosity . . . and who better to ask than my family and I? We are mere tellers of what lie outside this community."

Chary, I glanced back at the house before crossing my arms on my chest. I could only imagine Yvonne's outrage toward me if she ever found out about our meeting, but I couldn't help my regards to this particular man. He clearly left an undeniable impression of authority, strength, and power. My heart pounded against my chest, flooding my ears with the loud beats of blood rushing through my veins. _Why am I so nervous? I must calm down._ "Did you travel far?"

"Days, yes. It was an unclaimed victory when we arrived yesterday." He said it in a way that seemed as a personal joke between him and his closest of friends.

"It is hard to believe an experienced traveler such as yourself was lost."

"I am a stranger to this land," he shrugged nonchalantly, but I was frozen by the impetuous smolder in his eyes.

_This is questionable association_, my conscience whispered to me but I ignored the instinct to flee. There was something about him that pulled me to him like a flower's nectar attracted bees. Was this what Tatia called attraction? "But I do hope that we should not be."

He appeared pleased with himself the moment my heart skipped a beat with his words. _Do think that Yvonne will react badly of this. What will Aunt Sylvia say of this? _Finally convinced, I reluctantly pointed to the side of the house. When people usually avoided my way, he had been the only one to show such _curiosity_ towards me before, and that was something I was not used to. "Then I should be the first to welcome you, traveler. You found your way back to them. . . . Though I must suggest that you leave before you are spotted by the mistress of this house."

The man followed my finger to the trail. "Will you grace me with your name?"

_If you grace me with yours_, a voice murmured in my head. I shook my head warily, wanting to hit myself for my impulsiveness. _Do not forget, Heidi. I am but a servant . . ._ My life was not mine to live, not anymore. "Will you be offended if I say you have not earned my trust in knowing my name?"

"Then I will earn your trust." He sent me a smile before he disappeared down the pathway. "May your afternoons be kind."

"To you as well."

Dazed, I stayed there for some time; my mind was overwhelmed with the conversation I had with the stranger, a handsome one at that. _He is rather arrogant in learning my name, is he not?_

A sigh escaped my lips, full of longing and . . . interest? He would surely be disappointed once he found out who I was - one of the village's alleged witches or a lowly servant. I had nothing to offer yet would he still wish my company, romantic or platonic, to see past my poverty? _One can only hope._ With that final thought, I slowly retreated back inside to continue on with my day.

* * *

-New York City, New York State-

2009

_Sigh._

Quirking an eyebrow at the person sitting on the driver's seat, I glanced up from my touchscreen. On this road alone that was the eighth sigh, and we drove past _a lot_ of roads. I was beginning to wonder if the twenty-five year old hotshot had a problem with driving his boss' kids to the airport. Just because he was young and cute - total eye candy for the middle-aged socialites at the country club, it didn't mean he had everything handed to him by my father in a bronze platter, a very cheap rip-off of the sterling silver version.

Then again, I acted somewhat similar to the rookie. As if sensing my irritation, my younger brother reached over and grabbed my hand in a tight hold, intertwining our fingers together. _Calm down_, his gaze ordered me. He knew how anxious I was behind my calm demeanor.

With a smile, I tightened my grip, allowing myself a deep intake of breath; this was our silent support system. _Thank you . . ._

After years of neglect from our workaholic father and our drunk of a mother - even past our older sister's abandonment when she eloped with her boyfriend during her junior year in college, Winslow and I were still a team. We were the two that defeated the odds at a very young age, and I wouldn't know what I would do without him; he was just that important to me. Our pairing system worked since we both hit puberty, the golden moment when we realized our happy family was everything _but_ happy.

It was funny how things changed the same time I began to see the world in a different light, and it had to be around the moment when my hormones were raging. My thoughts were either on boys or my messed up family then back to boys again - the unending cycle of my early teenage years. I gave Winslow a genuine smile that was only for his eyes and leaned back into black leather seat, my eyes returning to my phone. Of course, I had to get the last thought; _stupid driver._

Closing my eyes, I drifted into my thoughts with a slight frown. _This is it. We are really leaving New York behind._

For some reason, I didn't feel like it was the end of the world. Living here for almost seventeen years, people would have presumed I'd be crying. _But I'm not leaving anything behind._ The things I would have missed from this city either left years ago or it simply wasn't there - just the faint illusion of what I wanted to exist but never did. Perhaps I was somewhat bitter, but I would never catch myself saying that aloud, especially in front of my brother. I wouldn't allow him to be distracted by my own selfishness of wanting a _release_ from all of the weight, and didn't want him focused on my strife at all.

The drop-off to the airport was quick and painless. The driver, who I later discovered to be called Brent, hurriedly dumped our luggage at the curb before jumping into the car and disappearing at the next turn. _Well at least he didn't ask for a tip_, I thought rather darkly.

Despite his prestige, my father could be cheap sometimes. My brother shot me a questioning glance as if to say, _what was his problem?_ I made a face at him in reply. _How the hell would I know?_ It was my turn to let out a tired sigh and moodily picked up my two apple green suitcases before storming to the double glass doors.

"Ready for exile?" I asked Winslow as we pushed our way inside the terminal.

"That's not funny," he muttered, giving me an oh-so-helpful shove at the upcoming crowd; Winslow was not up for my moods.

"Hey, precious cargo over here," I whined. Human traffic was a bitch, especially when a woman twice my age shoved past me. She narrowly avoided elbowing my eye and hit my cheekbone instead, unappreciatively carrying on like nothing had happened. I was very tempted in calling her a lot of impolite words, but my attention transferred to my fallen stuff when literally no one offered assistance. _What nice people . . ._

My carry-on was forced off my shoulder and it fell to the floor with an echoing thud. It got kicked a few times by the _very _rude ones of the bunch, sliding smoothly to the exact opposite direction of my intended gate. "Great," I growled under my breath.

When I managed to collect my things without another incident, Winslow was waiting at the line. He had that cute worry look on his face, and I fought the urge to tease him - a duty naturally given to the oldest sibling. "What happened to your face?"

"Is it that obvious? Some hag got me there." I groaned, wincing when he pressed too hard. _"Hey!"_

Much to my disbelief, we were the seventh in line. I impatiently eyed the elderly couple at the front, boredly watching them as they struggled with their stacks of heavy luggage. My temper was seriously wearing thin; I wasn't exactly the most patient person alive. To be honest, I only wanted to get on that plane, reach whatever small town our father was sending us to, and simmer down in a hot bath that I rightly deserved. Who cared about my aching feet anyways? Thankfully, someone with upright morals appeared and assisted them to the counters.

"Do I need to put you on a leash?"

I looked back at my younger brother with a grin growing on my face. "Ew, Winnie. Sounds dirty."

He smacked me at the shoulder, not enough to hurt but it still stung. "You seriously need a filter for that mouth of yours."

"Jeez, after years living with me I would've thought you'd be used to it by now."

"I thought the same thing, sis." Winslow replied tiredly. Without a care, I brushed on makeup to cover the growing bruise and tossed the hand mirror to my handbag. Playing on my phone while Winslow kept lookout took my mind off of things for a while. It was after twenty painful minutes of waiting that my composure cracked and my playful mood began to drop; we were only second in line. My brother caught my discomfort and scoffed. "You shouldn't have worn high heels."

"Shut up," I mumbled, "I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to,"

I stretched my ankles, wincing when I heard a joint pop. "These babies are latest fashion so forgive me when I feel like showing off."

"To who?" Winslow snorted unattractively.

I didn't have to answer and nodded my head to the attendant at the far right. The girl with dirty blond hair and light makeup discreetly leaned into the counter. She could've been in her late twenties with somewhat nice cheekbones, thin lips, and permanent dimples on her left cheek. Her baby blue eyes lowered to my feet and I easily caught the jealous glint. _Hmm, totally worth it._

My brother shook his head at me. Even when he was the youngest of three, it was no denying he acted way beyond his age and much more mature than both of his elder sisters. I crossed my arms with an almost bored expression. "Do you have an idea on where we're going anyways?"

He frowned at me, almost disappointedly. "You don't even know where we're flying to?"

"As long as it's far away from Daddy Dearest, I don't exactly care," I snapped.

Disapproval flashed in his face before he decided to answer. Winslow didn't have a great relationship with our father either and let my bitterness pass, at least just this once. "Do you remember Mom's cousin in Virginia?"

"Should I?"

"Char . . ."

Feeling a bit guilty about making this harder for my younger brother, I straightened up. I was supposed to go solo on this trip, but my brother knew loyalty like no one else did and _chose_ to go with me. New York wasn't exactly home sweet home, but it was where we were raised in all our lives. He was sacrificing a lot for my sake, regarding education and relationships. Exile meant what it was supposed to; we weren't allowed to have any communication with the rest of our family, and I guess that was what pushed Winslow to do what he did. He couldn't handle being away from me that long, and without having me say a word, he knew I couldn't either.

With a grumble, I answered more enthusiastically, "Sorry, no. I don't know Mom's cousin. Did we meet her before?"

"When we were kids . . . I think she sent us that Christmas card."

"The cheap one with the mini Christmas ornaments?" I asked, grinning at his slight glare. "You know, you should remember that the rest of us don't have photographic memory like you do."

Before he could come up with a witty comeback, the attendant who had eyed my shoes called out, "Next please!"

Thankfully, Winslow took care of heaving our bags to the platform before it was shipped deeper into the airport. My luggage was embarrassingly a few pounds heavier than the limit, but we managed by paying the extra fee. I avoided looking at the reprimanding glare on my younger brother's face. He had warned me about this earlier, but I chose to ignore him like I usually did when I lacked interest to the things he had to say - like this trip. For someone at sixteen years of age, he was seriously too mature for his own good. Kind of a buzz kill, but then again, he wouldn't be Winslow if he wasn't.

The attendant called on another woman as our temporary caretaker since Winslow and I were both underage. Seventeen apparently wasn't good enough for them. "Chardonnay and Winslow Blackburn, correct?" We nodded with slight smiles and she nodded with a tight-lipped smile. She didn't seem to like teenagers at all. "Well, let's go. Your flight is in an hour and you still need to go through procedures, the metal detectors first while they slide your things through the x-rays."

Mutely, we followed the speedy woman to another long line and waited our turn in silence. Cheryl was stiff and awkward with her movements, always bumping into other people and stubbing her big toe into things - definitely not her day to wear open-toed heels. I bit back a laugh when she slammed into a hot pink Disney suitcase, nearly toppling over that poor little girl, and I received yet another disapproving stare. The metal detectors were passed through with ease; I was secretly thankful for listening to Winslow about _this_ before we left the penthouse. As a prideful girl, I didn't want to look like an idiot by stripping off handfuls of golden jewelry with rows of people just staring at me.

When we arrived at the terminal five minutes ahead of schedule, the lounge was half-filled with a few people. "It looks deserted," I noted aloud.

Cheryl was quick to answer, pointedly ignoring my dry tone. "For some people, this is an indirect flight to Richmond, Virginia, then to Orlando, Florida."

I glanced at Winslow and plopped down on the cushioned seat. It oddly smelled of sweat, plastic, and coffee. A shiver crawled up my spine and I crossed my legs together, glaring at the passer-by who dared to look past my bent knees. "What's in Richmond again?"

"It's in _Virginia_, Char. From there we're taking a car to a small town. It's probably an hour or two drive away."

"What town?" I questioned interestedly.

He clicked through his phone. A few taps later, Winslow answered, "Some place called Mystic Falls."

My face scrunched up in confusion. "What kind of name is Mystic Falls?"

"Mom's cousin, remember, or our first cousin once removed? She lives there."

I clarified, "So they're _that _distant family then?"

Winslow made a face at my poor wording. Our folks were very strict on associations - suffocatingly so, all raised on the belief that anyone insignificant was to be left unapproached; Mother was the only exception, though it wasn't an unanimous decision within the Blackburn family. If my mom's cousin lived in Virginia, then there was no doubt they didn't come from the so-called _better_ side of our family tree. I couldn't really imagine living in a different state other than New York, disregarding the fact that my family and I had traveled repeatedly between America and Eastern Europe. It was a little ironic we didn't travel anywhere else in the US other than California and Florida, where other privileged distant families stereotypically lived.

"They're still family," he muttered, sharing my annoyance at our father's high expectations.

Winslow turned off his phone when I didn't reply. There wasn't anything else for me to say as our limited time drew to a close. This was goodbye New York, hello Virginia. I turned off mine when attendants started to gather at the front of the terminal. "Finally," I sighed under my breath.

We turned to Cheryl, not shocked when she looked a bit too relieved. I would've been laughing in amusement if I hadn't felt rather miffed. "Well, your plane's here. Have a good flight, two of you." We managed to nod as she left hastily, but only I was sneering at her small back.

First class was first to board and we made our way to the front of yet another line. The woman there gave us warm smiles, swiped our tickets, and gave them back - just like that. Quietly, I screamed with relief until I faced the pathway - four rectangular walls of a disguised death trap. _Oh, crap._

"Enjoy your flight," the attendant cheerfully offered as encouragement.

My brother smiled. "Thanks. Char, let's go . . ."

Slightly shaking with nervousness, I forced myself to swallow. My anxieties were returning to me again. Call it claustrophobia or paranoia, I unquestionably hated tight, closed spaces. When I reached out to my left to take Winslow's hand as support, all I grasped was air. He had gone ahead of me, unwittingly leaving me to myself. _Damn._ Vile was coming up my throat, and my stomach wasn't doing so well either. "Char?" My brother called over his shoulder.

_Relax. Calm down. It's just a cylinder hunk of metal that will safely take you from New York to Virginia. _I sauntered toward the hallway that, more or less, led to my death and noticed that Winslow was considerably further away from me.

Hurrying my pace, I opened my mouth to say something but decided against it on the last second. I didn't need Winslow to worry even more. _Yes, it's safe. It's only going to be thirty-three _thousand_ feet up in the air. That's nothing, really._ My insides twisted at the thought of twisted metal and choking smoke. _What am I thinking? I'll be fine. I'm better than this._

Gathering my lost confidence, I hesitantly took one step forward before faltering on the next. _Damn my claustrophobia. _The smell of the airplane really got to me hard, igniting the nerves I had already calmed. Plastic . . . metal . . . stale air. Against my wishes, the hallways seemed to darken out before there was nothing in front of me but black. In that position, my worries ceased and everything else didn't matter. At least, not anymore.


	2. Tip Of The Fork Road

_It's somewhat hard to get ideas and write them into words in a way that is organized and won't overwhelm or confuse the readers. I'm still learning so any tips at all, I'll welcome with open arms:) Anyways, I repeat, I do not own Vampire Diaries but I created Chardonnay, Winslow, the Blackburn family, and other characters that will appear throughout the story through blood, sweat, and tears. So please do not copy either. I'd very much appreciate it. I can assure you that I won't drop this story and will finish this to the end - far from the future I can assure you - with as much enthusiasm as I started. Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! No pressure;) _- Lady Shiri

**Chapter Two**

**Tip Of The Fork Road**

-Richmond, Virginia-

2009

Slowly, I awakened at the faint sound of whirring. _Is that the airplane? _The blur in my vision gradually faded away as my eyes adjusted to the new clarity. I made out the familiar color of Winslow's black hair through the weary tears, blinking them back. After a stretch and a yawn, I leant back into the comfty chair. It took me a while to realize I was on the airplane that was _already_ thousands of feet high in the air.

Cautiously, Winslow turned to me and handed me a bottled water. "You're okay?"

"Tired," I yawned, rubbing my eyes with the back of my long sleeves. "What happened?"

Winslow frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Didn't I pass out?" It would explain why I suddenly ended up at first class instead of the carpet of that horrid hallway. I had felt every tremor and footstep on that unstable flooring. Easily breaking the seal of the cap, I finished the bottle in mouthfuls and realized I was really dehydrated. When I thought about it now, I remembered that I had skipped dinner out because of my lack of appetite.

"You fell asleep."

"No," I argued tiredly, "I fainted."

A concerned look crossed his features and he pressed the back of his cool hand on my forehead. To my annoyance, he ignored my whine of complaint. "Are you sure you weren't dreaming or something? You fell asleep here."

I eyed him carefully. My poor baby brother was growing lines before I did. It was great for me personally since no one wanted lines etched into their faces, but not so much for him. With a snap decision, I shook my head. "You know what, I think it's the airplane getting to me. I hate heights, I'm claustrophobic, and I just really _hate_ airplanes. This is why I prefer roadtrips."

"Char, you hate roadtrips too," he deadpanned.

"Honestly, I'll take anything I can get over this damn plane." I murmured darkly, taking in deep breath of stale reused air.

"You're so dramatic."

Shooting him an amused glance, I mumbled, "Tell me something I don't know."

Winslow took my hand again and gave it a gentle squeeze. "If it makes you feel any better, you slept past most of the trip."

I wanted to say something sarcastic and nasty but held myself back. He had other things to deal with than a queasy older sister - like getting over the fact we were on our own. I let out a groan, instantly nauseated when the plane trembled slightly at the force of the winds. It was thirty minutes of hell. My stomach wanted to barf itself out and I was certain no one wanted to see last night's dinner, at least not slimey and partially digested. The ringing in my ears wouldn't stop and I rested my head at Winslow's shoulder. He was my greatest comfort - my rock.

My brother murmured, "Remember when I pulled that prank on you?"

"You pulled a lot of pranks on me." I could picture him rolling his eyes. "Our seasonal prank week, yeah I know. What about it?"

"Remember when you were thirteen?" He began to snicker and I paled even more at the memory. It was the beginning of an incredible fear. "I put a spider inside your training bra drawer and I didn't know it had a sac with it."

I smacked him blindly in the stomach. "Yes, Winnie, my _training bra_ dresser. You, as a boy, had no right on even touching the handle."

He nudged me in retaliation. "Hey, I'm not a pervert. I was twelve years old."

"Yeah, and you started my fear of spiders thank you very much." I cringed, imagining the feeling of miniature spiders all over my chest. "The one thing I hate more than closed places and airplanes. Ugh. Where are you reminding me of this?"

"Are you feeling better?"

I paused at his words and nodded hesitantly. The constant ringing was gone from my ears and my stomach was starting to behave. It was almost silent in other words. Winslow had been distracting me of my discomfort. "As much as any girl can with talking to her brother about her training bra drawer, then yes. That was smart of you."

"Of course, I'm a Blackburn."

We both stirred at that phrase, recalling how our father ran those words dry; it was a while before any of us spoke. Those words had taken their part in our childhood and it would take some time for us to get over them, not that we had valued them any different as we did now. A week separated from our father hardly changed anything since we were used to his late nights with just Winslow and I at the dinner table. Having actual freedom and space from our father, I was still confused on how to react about this; I was relieved for one, but also angry, scared, and in disbelief. I couldn't grasp what I was feeling and wondered if that was the time for Winslow.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Blinking back tears, I only held his hand in mine and it was silent for the rest of the flight. I could've kissed leather seat in joy when the airplane began to lower, inching closer to sweet ground, and I pushed back the spine-tingling feeling that shot up my body at each descent. Bubbling with impatience to leave the metal machine, I shot up from my seat, stretching my legs and collecting our carry-ons the moment we were given the green light to do so. Winslow was deeply amused at my relief, narrowly avoiding my fist when he mentioned my mood swings.

The rest of the way to Mystic Falls was less problematic. After claiming our luggage from the rest of the line, we spotted a lone woman with cropped blond hair holding a white sign with our surname sprawled over it in dark red ink. She wore a dark beige sheriff's uniform, a black belt, and black combat boots. I studied the noticable dark circles under her brown eyes that widened at the sight of us. She anxiously shifted on her feet. "Wilson and, erm, Champagne?"

I fought not to make a rather nasty face. _Champagne? Seriously?_

My brother reached over to shake her hand, shooting me a look that said to play nice. "It's Winslow Blackburn, but please, call me Winnie," he corrected politely. "You're Elizabeth Forbes?"

She blushed at her mistake. "Right, sorry. I prefer Liz."

"Liz. No problem."

Raising a discrediting eyebrow, I studied her again. She could seriously _not_ be related to my mother. They didn't share anything alike - not one single facial feature at all. Their eye color or skin tone weren't the same, even the bone structures were obviously different. "You're my mother's cousin?" I repeated, swallowing down my disbelief.

"Be nice," Winslow hissed as he nudged me forward.

With a sigh, I forced a smile. _I might as well give it a try. Winslow will complain till my ears bleed if I don't. _"I'm Chardonnay, Winslow's older sister. It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Forbes."

She cleared her throat. "It's, uh, _Sheriff_ Forbes. I'm divorced."

"Oh, sorry. My mistake."

We exchanged uncomfortable glances until Winslow intercepted and started to ask questions about Mystic Falls. The conversation thankfully continued as we made our way to the car and began the hour and a half long journey to Mystic Falls. Winslow called shotgun, but I didn't mind. It took me longer than him to warm up to new people and I felt honestly appeased to let my brother lead the chat. She told us of Caroline, her daughter and our second cousin, a bit vaguely before moving the topic to lighter things. We went through places Elizabeth had seen most teenagers hang out in, mostly in a restaurant called the Mystic Grill.

My stomach gave out a faint growl which mercifully went unnoticed by them. "-and over there's the library." Elizabeth nodded as we passed a welcoming billboard sign. "There's also Mystic Falls High School where you two will be attending tomorrow. Your father already filled in the papers."

"Sounds lovely," I quipped in with irritation. "How is our father by the way?"

She met my darkened stare at the rearview mirror with an unfathomable expression. I knew she had an idea of our wrecked relationship and was silently impressed that she didn't say anything about it for this long. "Er, I don't know. Was he supposed to pass a message on? He was frank with what he wanted and didn't stay on the phone too long."

"Typical."

Winslow added in hastily, "At least he's making an effort. He called in personally."

"And that makes me feel a whole lot better," I retorted with a classic eye roll.

"He _called,_ Char. That ought to mean something."

We shared a deep sigh before the car drifted into silence. It just irked me how Winslow was quick to defend him and the silence immediately turned tense. Elizabeth cleared her throat, thrumming her fingers on the steering wheel. "Anyways, um, Caroline will be home from school. You'll be able to hang out with her, Chardonnay."

"Can't wait," I faked enthusiasm effortlessly, "and please, call me Char. Being called Chardonnay is more of a warning when Winnie is mad at me." _It beats Donna_, I thought with distaste at the formal name. The Blackburn family simply refused to call me_ Char _and found my first name ridiculous - I did too.

"So I can safely presume that you _won't _get in trouble and you _will _behave while you are living under my roof?" Elizabeth warned.

My cheeks reddened and I glared at Winslow when I caught him smirking smugly at the side mirror. "I'll keep myself in check so please don't worry about me. Besides, you need to focus more on Winnie and his girls. He's really out there in the field, if you catch my drift."

Her sharp stare turned on my brother as he gaped at me incredulously. "What? She doesn't mean that at all. I don't even know what she's talking about! _She's_ the mischievous one out of the two of us."

Elizabeth hesitated. "Do I need to have _that_ discussion with the two of you?"

_"No!"_ We cried out in unison.

"No need!" Winslow murmured, red beat in the face.

"There's _really_ no need," I assured her firmly.

She parked the car in the driveway, her house standing at the left. "Here we are . . ."

It was a horrible experience when the one to give us the _sex_ talk turned out to be Guinevere, our eldest sister. She skyped us one day when our father was definitely not at home and had given a long, exaggerated speech on safety, protection, and the risks. We had recently reached the ages of eleven and twelve. It sounded so complicated and horrifying then and I had promised Guinevere celibacy until marriage. _Did I regret promising such a thing?_ I twirled the engraved promise ring on my forefinger with a thoughtful expression until Winslow tapped on my window. _Not really. _It saved me a lot of possible heartaches in New York.

"Let's get inside."

We lugged our things up the front steps and into the house with small difficulty. The smell of lemon and pecan pie air freshener was what hit me first before the scent of wood and faded vanilla body spray mixed in rather nicely. The foyer was decorated with hung wooden frames, a burgundy wood cabinet, and a plush armchair. In my hurry, I nearly slammed into the cabinet where Elizabeth placed her car keys. The color of yellow partnered agreeably with lime green walls, polished wooden floors, and a short-trimmed yellow carpet. Something about it didn't scream money or wealth, but it was the kind of home that I pictured as a child - the one I always wanted to live in.

"This is it," Elizabeth murmured. "Nothing fancy but it's home."

"It's perfect," I gushed uncharacteristically, relaxing a tiny bit. Maybe moving here wouldn't be that bad.

My sibling put in, "It has charm."

Elizabeth stared at us wearily before smiling in appreciation. "Good. I'm glad you think so."

She led us up the stairs, pointing to the occupied rooms that belonged to her and her daughter. Caroline's door was slightly ajar and I peeked inside, yielding to my curiosity. A pair of picture frames and trinkets were displayed on top of a chiffonier and in front of her queen-sized bed, brown oak shelves were filled with books at the corner of her room, and she shifted her own beauty corner next to her walk-in closet. It was smaller than I was accustomed to living in and this was the second largest room in the house. Still, I didn't let it sway me from my comfort here.

I met Winslow's half-excited glance and realized that he was anxious to know what I would think, seeing that I had given our parents a lot of pain when I heard of our move here. To assure him, I shot him a smile. "I'm okay,"

"There's a third bedroom left, down the hallway. You two can share and if not, Char can sleep in Caroline's-"

"We're siblings," I cut in. "I think we're fine sharing a room as long as Winslow doesn't snore."

"I don't," Winslow snorted.

Grinning, I shrugged. "Then we're off to a commendable start, new roomie. Plus I don't think Caroline would like to share her room. I know _I_ wouldn't."

"You'd be surprised with my daughter," she murmured, most likely to herself, before walking back to the foyer. "I have to go back to work. They need me at the police station."

"What about Caroline?" Winslow asked.

She glanced back and halted at the door. "She knows about your arrival and is planning your party as we speak."

"I'm starting to like her already," I told them, my smile widening for their benefits.

"Just be careful," Elizabeth ordered sternly. "Don't invite anyone in and stay _inside_ the house, alright?"

It was a strange request to accept, but this _was_ her house after all and we nodded in reply. After saying our thanks and exchanging goodbyes, she left us with our stuff. We slowly transferred our things to the farthest room. There was a familiar queen-sized bed placed in the middle with a smaller closet, beige drawers, and a bookshelf at the left of the door. "Are you sure it's okay?" Winslow asked me. "It's smaller than what we're used to-"

"It's cute. It's fine as it is." I mumbled, frowning at the collected layers of dust bunnies. There were sure to be more behind the tables. Winslow followed my troubled gaze and saw the issue, grimacing. He had been always easy to agitate with dirt and pollen after he turned ten. A horrible prank I had pulled made he believe he had asthma, and trust me, I paid _dearly_ for that stunt. "Wait, should I?"

He shook his head disapprovingly but replied, "Sure, why not?"

I took a deep breath. With enough concentration and an easy flick of the wrist, gales of wind swirled from the doorway and burst the French windows open with a loud slam. We both jumped but neither of us batted an eyelash at my action. I was careful to keep the dust away from Winslow. "Better?" I questioned.

"Hmm. Much."

With another flick, a gust of wind instantly knocked my younger brother back gently to the bed _"Ouch!"_

A teasing grin grew on my face. "Sorry, I couldn't resist,"

He rolled his eyes in reply. "I nearly hit my head on the edge."

"Good thing you didn't,"

"Not the point, Char." When he knew I'd keep up with annoying him, he said nervously, "Anyways, I wanted to talk to you about something . . ."

"What?" I asked as I crossed my arms. When he used that tone on me, I knew it was something we would argue about.

"Well, since this is a new town and we're here to interact with distant family and make friends-"

Mockingly, I teased, "Possibly."

"Char, this can be a fresh start for two of us. We can _let go_." Winslow told me sincerely, holding my hardening stare. "If we're going to make a difference with our lives, no more bashing on our parents or our sister. They're not here, neither is Gwin, but _we _are so lets make the best of it."

"Just like that?"

"What else? You can't hold a grudge forever." At my pointed look, he cleared his throat uncomfortably. Winslow, of all people, was aware that I could hold on to my enmity like I could keep up with my liquor. I wasn't a lightweight despite my short height. It was partly the reason we were shipped to Virginia in the first place. "I mean, it's not healthy to. Gwin's moved on."

I frowned at his choice of words. He said it so easily without choking on their titles or _her _name. A surge of betrayal filled my head and I took a sharp breath in to calm myself down. As much as I wanted to deny it, Mystic Falls was the new beginning that we were both looking for - Dad or no Dad, Gwin or no Gwin. If they continued living without giving us another thought, then, painfully, so could we. "Okay," I found myself answering. A grin slipped on his face, mirroring the one that was once on mine. "You're right, Winnie."

"Of course."

"So this is us against them?"

"Not necessarily." He shook his head at me. "But we're in this together like always."

"Like always," I echoed softly. _This is getting too mushy._ Much to his annoyance, I blasted another gust of wind at his face and watched in amusement as he fixed it back with his hands. "Now, go back to work! This solemn atmosphere is putting me on edge and it's not even past four P.M."

Shooting me a final look, he let out a sigh. "Get to it,_ Donna_."

I grimaced and smacked his face with a pillow, eliciting a groan from my brother. "Never again!"

We exchanged meaningful expressions before returning to our bags. If I had to admit, I was pleased with my growing control. It had troubled me for years, draining myself half dry over the simplest tricks in the book . . . but as the years went by since my discovery of my gifts, I could at least do more things now than I ever could imagine before. To my relief, I managed to unpack one of my larger suitcases and some of my shoes when we heard the front door open. I was reluctant to share the closet since I needed all the space I could get for my stuff, but settled for claiming most drawers from the dresser.

"Hello? Mom?" A perky voice called out more forcibly, _"Hello?"_

I peered over the railing and met a blond girl halfway in the foyer. "Um, hey, Cuz."

We eyed each other critically, both of us participating in an unspoken game of gaining and lowering self-esteem. Some girls were territorial in this area as guys were with their flashy sport cars. She had straight, silky blond hair that curved at the ends into smooth curls, bright blue eyes, and pale translucent skin. This girl - Caroline - was exceptionally taller than I was since we were both wearing leveled high heels, and her stylish but substantially preppy clothes were better compared to the hand-me-downs I thought she would've been wearing at my arrival. Clearly, Caroline was a one-of-a-kind girl in this very small town.

"Awesome shoes," Caroline pointed out brightly when she deemed me worthy, or at least, interesting.

"Sleek scarf."

She immediately toyed the edge of it with her slim, pale fingers. It was an eye-catching mixture of scarlet red and orange hues. "Yeah, it is," Caroline murmured a little conscientiously. When she caught my inquiring gaze, she snapped out of it and lunged at my figure, hugging me eagerly. "Oh, we're second cousins! _Second_, but still _cousins_! We're like family - oh, I mean, we _are_."

"Lucky us, huh?" I mumbled against her waves of blond hair.

"I'm Caroline Forbes," she replied automatically.

Humoring her, I shook her hand. "Chardonnay Blackburn,"

"Like the wine?"

"Heh. _Exactly_ like the wine,"

"Ooh, fancy." Before I could reply, her attention flashed to my brother who stayed upstairs, safe from her surprisingly strong grip. Winslow was just getting smarter and faster these days, unknowingly amusing me. "Hello, er, Wilson?"

He let out a sigh. "My name is _Winslow._"

"If only we weren't related," Caroline muttered under her breath, eyeing his bright green eyes and black curls.

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me. "Now that's a disturbing thought."

We paid no attention to the curious look on his face as we giggled. Caroline glanced at the clock with excitement. "Oh, we're late. Listen, I'm taking you over my friend's tonight. Girls only." The last part was meant for Winslow who couldn't have looked more relieved.

"What about my brother?"

"I'm tired," Winslow replied hurriedly. "I'm probably gonna finish a few things before sleeping."

"Er . . . if you're sure . . ."

"I'm not going to eat you," Caroline huffed.

"Pssh. I doubt you'd be able to finish me if you tried." I pointed out, eyeing her curvy figure a bit jealously; I didn't have her curves.

"He said yes already! Go up there and get your things!" When I stayed put, Caroline yanked on my arm impatiently up the stairs. "Well? Go on!"

Winslow saw my startled expression and was wise to not get involved. "Good luck to you," he joked with a tinge of a blithe tone. I snatched the closest pair of pajamas I found, stuffing it with my toiletries, toothbrush and toothpaste, and my camera. Photography was my hidden passion that was carefully concealed over my theatre and dance talents. It reminded me of _her_.

Afterwards, we staggered past the front doors after quickly yelling goodbyes and climbed into her car. "I wanna introduce you to my friends." She said in excitement. "Well, _friend_ and some other selfish ex-friend. Anyways, get your butt moving Chardonnay!"

"Char," I corrected her.

She ignored me, not even waiting for me to snap on my seatbelt. I wouldn't have cared if I wasn't sober and quickly slid properly into my seat at the next stop sign. "I don't wanna spend the whole afternoon missing out! It'll be so much fun! We'll do our nails first since I wanted to try this new aqua color I recently got on sale."

"Whose house are we going to?"

"Elena's a best friend of mine. I can tell you'll like her," Caroline told me honestly. "Not sure about _her_ though. Ugh, stealing what's mine. You'd get pissed off to right?"

"Yes," I answered without hesitation. If anyone stole something from me, I'd get bitchy too.

"Finally! Someone who gets it!"

"But I'm not getting involved with whatever happened between you two. From experience, I know how horrid catfights can get." Especially after being in so many drunk ones.

She pouted defiantly, puckering out her full bottom lip. "I just like knowing I'm right."

"You sure about this?" I asked as we turned to her street. It was hard to miss, especially when Caroline was pointing to it at the last turn. It was cream in color with dark blue shutters. It had its own charm compared with Caroline's house. "I haven't really been here a day and they don't know-"

"Yeah, but you're family." She answered simply. "This makes it easier for you to know my friends, erm, _friend_. It won't hurt that you'll be friends with them too. Think of it as me being greedy."

"You sound so certain of yourself." I observed, getting out of her car and walking up to the door.

Caroline did the honors of knocking and shot me a reassuring smile. I wasn't sure why I was so nervous - it was just Caroline's childhood friends. The door opened to reveal a girl of our age. She was taller than I was since naturally, mostly everyone was taller than me. I blamed my mother's genes that gave me an interesting face without the desired body. She had dark brown hair - straight as corn silk, deep brown doe-like eyes, and a warm smile on her small oval face. Her skin was tanned to perfection, the total opposite to the angelic beauty beside me.

Secretly, I was becoming insecure at all the new faces until I reminded myself about my talk with Winslow. _This is a new start._

"Ah, Caroline!" She gave her a quick hug. "You were nearly late."

"Ugh, I'm never late. I made it on time," Caroline replied dismissively as she pulled me forward. "This is Chardonnay, my second cousin. She moved in just today actually."

Elena nodded, extending out her hand for me to shake. "That must be tough, living with Caroline I mean."

I accepted her hand, following her tease. "It'll be hard but I'll manage somehow."

Caroline made a face. "Yes now before you two start plotting against me, let's get inside. I've been wanting to drill you with questions all day, but my mom wanted me to wait until you got settled in. Honestly, I'm _tired _of waiting! You seem fine right now and well-rested enough; you came from New York right? How was that? Did you travel a lot? What about broadway? Did you watch any of those live?"

"She really goes for what she wants, doesn't she?" I questioned forebodingly.

Elena, catching what I said, muttered back, "You have no idea."

* * *

-The New World-

1024

Giggles erupted from the girl next to me as I told her of what happened mere moments ago. Her brown eyes held happiness while she looked down at me. She was in shock when I mentioned the dark-eyed foreigner. We were lingering in the meadow at the edge of the forest, away from eavesdropping ears. Most of the village girls gathered closer to the woods after their chores to enjoy the rest of the afternoon, the warm sun and the cooling winds. "Heidi, you lie!"

"I do no such thing!" I cried out, blushing madly. "He was truly beautiful and his voice - it was melodious!"

"You have strayed too long under the sun," my friend teased.

_"Tatia!"_

"Such a late bloomer you are, Heidi. It is rejuvenating to see you captivated like this!" She laughed and pinched my cheeks mirthfully. "I shall not tease you anymore for the moment if that is what you truly wish."

I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped from me. "It is desperately!"

Tatia sighed but the smile lingered on her lips. "Very well. What is your plan concerning this traveler?"

"Plan? For what?"

To be truthful, I had not considered meeting him again, but that didn't stop me from hoping. If he ever showed any spark of recognition to me, Yvonne and Aunt Sylvia would surely lock me in my room until it was certain that they left. _This is a nonsensical choice to pursue such attachments to someone who does not _know _me, a servant with nothing to her name._ Who knew what others would tell him of me? I was a supposed witch in their eyes.

She pulled me to a halt, placing her hands on my shoulders. "Do you not plan to capture his affections?"

I gaped at her, skeptical of her intentions. "Capture his affections? No! I must not!"

"Must not?" Tatia repeated exasperatingly. "My oldest friend, this is your first suitor!"

"Do not think me contemptuous when I am certain there will be _other_ suitors, those more stable and suitable for me than this unknown traveler."

"I had yet to see you so enthralled over a man until today! Not even the village charmer could catch your eye, Heidi!" When she saw my hesitation, she quickly added, "Your innocence is something grand. You merely need to learn on the art of seduction-"

"Tatia, no! I will not go through troubles that will surely humiliate me!" I shook my head hastily, fighting back a blush. Flirting would get me nowhere with this stranger. I had to be practical. "He is but passing by! I even do not know of his name."

"You have placed those anxieties on yourself," she suddenly snapped. "You fear him because he is a man, not a friend or lover."

"I cannot, Tatia, please. Aunt Sylvia and Yvonne will-"

"Are you not a woman? Decide your fate by yourself and let no one sway your resolve."

I frowned, taking her hand in mine. "I know your motives mean well and that you care for me dearly, but I am not ready for circumstances such as this. I may not hold Yvonne with high regard, but her parents have helped my family more than I could ever repay them and they trust me to care for their daughter. Please do not misunderstand that I am deaf to your reasoning for your words are valued very much so, but I too must listen to my aunt. We both know she would disapprove and I do not want to cause added worries for her."

Her expression softened at my plea. I knew she was not angry at me but _for _me. Maybe if I wasn't a servant and I held the same grounds as Tatia and Yvonne, things would certainly be different, but I also knew that I had no energy to waste on worthless fantasies. "Are you sure, my friend?"

"This is but an infatuation. There will be other chances," I told her weakly.

"Not ones such as this," she disagreed. "He can offer you life away from this dreaded place."

"This is home."

She eyed me carefully before nodding her head. "These are the times I realize the error of my impulsive nature. Perhaps this is better for you, Heidi, distancing yourself from him in the near future. For when you desperately desire something you cannot have and he _will_ leave for we are not naive to believe he won't, this will cease to be your beloved home."

My grip loosened on her hands and I stepped away, shaken by her dark demeanor. "What would it be if not home?"

Tatia was silent for a while and when she turned back to me, she only smiled. "Let's not talk of such things now. Come, we've had enough talk for one day and I would appreciate your help in the garden." She took my hands and determinedly led me to her house, the awaited garden behind it.

Silent and troubled, I allowed her to drag me away. I could not forget the hauntingly empty look in her eyes that were filled with broken memories. It made me think of her life before moving here and meeting me. She did not tell me and I had not asked out of respect for her privacy. Had she been thinking about the father of her child? This was the first time I saw Tatia in a different light. She may have had things that I could only imagine of having and was graced with beauty that shined above all, but she was not happy - only satisfied with the small she had.

_No one could have it all. _Pushing back the questions filling my head on her mysterious past, I forced a smile and began to follow behind her eagerly. "I shall water the flowers then?"

"You may."

With a smile, I rushed past her. "Race me there!"

I heard her laugh behind me. "You cheat!"

Tatia was my friend regardless of her former times. _And the man?_ my conscience asked me. I forced back my disappointment as I too acknowledged that reality was not at all sweet. _The stranger is to remain as such._


	3. How To Say Hello

_So for readers who have reached this far to read this piece of Lady Shiri, thanks so much:) I really appreciate you guys putting time to read my story. I don't really want to make the story too fast or too slow, just the right pace. Any Tatia, Bonnie, or Caroline fans should celebrate. I wanted to give Tatia a story to since she didn't get much on the show. I didn't really get a good concept of her in the series and most of the fanfictions I read that_ had_ Tatia in it, well, she's a total bitch - but don't worry! More surprises in future chapters. Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Three**

**How To Say Hello**

-The New World-

1024

The village was brimming with excitement the next day. Gathering in their rooms to ready their finest dress and to fix their hair, the young women who were yet to be claimed by a man through marriage were bursting with jubilant energy. Their parents were more so eager as they gave their sweet angels a day of luxury, slipping pieces on attractive jewelry around their fingers and necks. Even the admirable suitors who had strutted around with an aura of thick arrogance and pride were showing hints of nervousness when they made their appearances around their properties. Servants were busy hunting, cleaning, or assisting their masters.

From the tree branch above, I could see a group of giggling girls gossip fervently of what was to happen later on, lacing each other's hair in simple twines before twisting flowers at the end on the ties. "Are you not excited?" A girl giggled.

"_They_ shall be there," one laughed.

"Of course," I murmured, realizing that tonight's open feast was in honor of the visitors. The females were determined to catch the foreigners interest and I easily assumed the men had similar plans. _Then he shall be there as well._

This was all for appearance's sake and as deplorable as that sounded, I was jealous yet again. They had a night to wear their fabricated masks without the worry of the consequences and yet I couldn't do the same. Magdalene released me from my duties, secretly hoping I would follow the flock and join the animation of it all. As thankful as I was for the small ounce of freedom, especially since Yvonne would be much more demanding to become the living picture of perfection, I had nothing to be keen about. I had no pleasant dresses nor jewelry to flaunt and even if I found an acceptable dress, I would be treated with scorn.

Privily, I was feeling rather dejected and confused. This had not bothered me before. _So why does it now?_

Tonight would not be the first feast I had the displeasure of overlooking. I had found quiet solitude in Tatia's back garden during these times. Personally, I prefered Aunt Sylvia's kitchen but she would be there cooking for the feast, another reminder of what I was kept from. Tatia had tried many times to join her in the festivities but we both knew what would happen if I went. It was less painful to ignore the laughter and music than to join in and be openly excluded from the happy chatter. I wanted to save myself from further indignity.

Hopping off the branch and landing safely to the ground, I walked back to Tatia's house when the girls left for the public square. I could hear the faint conversations that the wind brought to me. Two women a few years older than I brushed past me, murmuring about a handsome dark-haired traveler. An odd feeling coursed through my veins - a mixture of agitation and something else I couldn't identify - and I heard a squeal from behind me. I turned to see the girls on the ground. They had tripped on an arched vine that slithered back into its original place by the base of the tree. I knew without a doubt that it was of my doing.

"Freja," the girl gasped from the ground.

Before they could accuse me of anything, I sped away to my solitude that looked more appealing by each passing second. I did not want them telling Yvonne exaggerated tales of my mistake. As I walked, my thoughts immediately returned to the mystery man, the pulchritudinous stranger that refused to let my thoughts be. Every time I closed my eyes I would see his face underneath my eyelids. When my mind began to wander blindly into a daydream, I would imagine him standing in front of me again, talking to me with that steady, musical voice of his. _What was happening to me?_ This was out of my control, frighteningly so.

I slumped against Tatia's house, taking in a deep breath to calm my emotions. "Control," I whispered. I had not created an accident such as that for some time and I was puzzled as to why my affinities were acting up now. Had it been my growing annoyance at the high regard the village gave to our guests?

"Impossible," I gasped, raising my hand to my mouth in shock.

_You want what they will not give,_ my conscience murmured, _the acceptance that has been denied to you and given so freely toward strange men._ It wasn't right of me to put the blame on those I hardly knew, but it wasn't fair either to be treated like dirt. Anger rushed through my body with such intensity and I was slightly terrified of this darker side of myself. My control slipped once again and a flame sparked to life in my clenched fist.

I bit back a shriek and jumped away, fearing I would get burned. Instead, it grew as if it was feeding on my panic. It quickly caught my sleeve, slowly burning the cloth to ashes faster than I'd ever seen fire incinerate anything before. I felt no stings of pain or throbs of a burn. _How peculiar. This is of my own doing. _Muffling a gasp, I cautiously opened my hand and my eyes widened at the mesmerizing sight. The beating heart of the fire was translucent white and its body flickered of different shades, wavering against the gentle breeze. It shifted from icy blue to indigo then deep ultramarine.

Mesmerized, I watched as its frosty edges licked the skin of my palm delicately. _Breathtaking._ Eyeing the flame curiously, I twisted my wrist to a different angle. It felt . . . _alive_.

"Heidi?"

Without another thought, I patted my arm harshly to stop the flames. "Tatia?"

She knew of my power over plants and I had forced her into secrecy, pleading that she was never to speak of it to anyone, including Aunt Sylvia. My aunt was not aware of my abilities, nor I did not want her to. Thankfully, Tatia was blessed with sympathy and had agreed to keep the secret between us. It was how our friendship started. Tatia was curious - no, _amazed_ with what I could do. I suppose she really did believe that I was a witch, but a harmless one that was unfairly misapprehended. It was amazing how one's curiosity got the best of them.

"Oh my, Heidi!" I was astonished with my power over fire and kept quiet when she reached my side, her mouth open in horror at the sight. "What has happened to your arm?"

Looking down, I tried to cover it with my cool hand. The sleeve had been completely burned off; the edges of my now hanging cloth charred with black ash, but my pale skin miraculously remained unharmed. "This? No, nothing has occurred-"

"Nonsense! Let me see!"

"Please wait-"

It was too late. She reached to touch my skin and quickly withdrew with a pained yell. _"Aah!"_

"Tatia?" I gasped, perplexed by her reaction. My past anger dissipated and was replaced with worry. When I reached for her, she automatically shrank back as if I had hurt her intentionally.

"What magic is this?" She cried. Tatia stared at me with cold fear, unwittingly striking my heart better than any sword could.

_She fears me._

I forcibly took hold of her fingers when she continued to evade me and ignored her hiss of pain. What I saw shocked me into silence. My stomach turned at the sight of her once smooth skin now blistered and dangerously red. She had been maliciously burned, but that could not have been me. _I would not harm my friends_, I argued silently; but at her cries, I could not deny the blame, wincing at the sounds of her agonized sobs. Quickly leading her to the bucket of water, I doused the tender flesh with the cool liquid. My own tears escaped my eyes at her obvious pain, sliding past my cheekbones and dropping into the wooden pail.

"Forgive me! I _must_ apologize! I am truly, _truly_ sorry! It had never been my intention to harm you so!" Her sniffles soon quieted down until there was only me crying in shame. I could not believe that I had harmed Tatia, my closest friend and only confidant. She was brought into my world of mystery when I had been careless during my practices and I had falsely claimed to pose no threat. I was not innocent as Tatia thought; I was not harmless. Though I knew I was not a witch, I began to believe that I was something worse - something more dangerous. "I am a monster."

She gingerly took her hand back from my grip and gasped in amazement. "Heidi," she croaked out.

I refused to look away from the ground and curled my body into a ball, wondering if I could make the earth swallow me in punishment. She took one of my hand in hers and I flinched. "Do not-!"

Her voice had lost its tremor as she spoke again, gaining back her confidence. "Heidi, please. You must see with your own eyes."

Why was she talking to me? More importantly, why wasn't she screaming insults? I deserved what Tatia threw at me. Shouldn't she have been running to the public square, informing everyone of the danger I was? Wasn't that what I deserved? Did this mean Yvonne had the right to treat me as cruelly as she did? I could only imagine her glee of having been perceptive of my supposed evil all along. "No, I cannot."

Hearing her sigh, I found myself encased in someone's arms and the smell of springtime filled my lungs. "Stop crying," she ordered, "and look at me. Look at my hand. It has healed."

"You lie," I murmured against her shoulder.

"I assure you I did no such thing." Tatia hesitated. "Trust me just as I trust you."

My body stiffened. _Trust? Tatia trusts me even after suffering I put her through? _I stirred in her arms and wiped my tears with my good sleeve. Hesitant to meet Tatia's eyes, I managed to blink my eyes dry from my tears. "I . . . I can't-"

"Trust me," she breathed, cupping my cheek with her hand just as sisters would. I was still reluctant.

"I would ask for forgiveness again-"

"Then ask,"

Shutting my eyes tightly, I shook my head. The shame was too great. "I do not deserve that blessing."

"You are a fool, Heidi."

"I am a monster," I repeated, my voice slightly lower than a whisper.

Tatia grabbed my chin and turned it to her direction, determined brown eyes clashing against mine. I nearly slumped to the floor if she wasn't embracing me so tightly. "You are no monster."

"Yes, I am-"

"I know you more than you know of yourself and when I look at you - right now under this sunset, I see no monster. What I find is a girl who is lost in this world. The things you have went through at a young age, alone and confused of your reason for being - to _why_ you were made to be, I cannot assume to understand." She took a deep breath. "You would not settle for anything less than the truth."

"Tatia, you were frightened of me. I saw so much fear in your eyes."

"Yes," she answered honestly. "I do not deny that I was afraid, petrified even."

"Then why do you stay?"

"You are my most loyal friend. Abandoning you at your time of need, it is not how I was raised." When she saw my raised eyebrow, her expression broke a little. "I know what is on your mind. It seems hypocritical of me to claim such things when I already abandoned my morals before - a child out of welock. I had broken the trust that had been bestowed upon me by my parents, and I was taught to obey them ever since as a young girl. That was different, Heidi."

I glanced away from her, not liking the haunted look that returned to her eyes. "I do not deserve-"

"It was love," she whispered, interrupting me.

Stunned, I froze. _Love?_

"Many view it as a weakness. As did my parents. I was promised to another but I could not deny the pull toward him - toward the man who I never imagined to father my child." Tatia let out a shaky breath. "It was for love that I deceived my family and it was out of hate that I also left. My daughter had been my pillar of sanity, my stronghold from the guilt I feel everyday."

"He died," I realized aloud. It explained why she treaded cautiously around the subject.

Instead of answering, she said passionately, "It will not be easy to convince me of your alleged corruption. You cannot take blame of something you have no knowledge of. You did not know." When I stayed quiet, she pressed, "Would you hurt me?"

Alarmed, I instantly replied, "No!"

"Would you hurt my daughter, Heidi?" She questioned, her grip never loosening. Under the eerie shine of the moonlight, my friend was truly the kind beauty of our village.

"Charlotte?" I asked, aghast with her questions. "Never!"

"Would you murder-"

"Are you teasing me?"

"My intention is not to upset you. When will you realize your purity? You begged for forgiveness and cried plenty tears of regret. You are not heartless but your heart is whole and kind," Tatia confessed sincerely. "You would not hurt me or Lottie if it was in your power not to."

"You are willing to risk your daughter's safety?"

She thought for a moment. "I trust you,"

"Just as I trust you," I echoed her words delicately.

Tatia didn't say anything and watched my face carefully. It was as if she was expecting something to happen. Then I felt it; the acceptance of my fate overwhelming me, and the surge of emotions that would have sent me falling to the ground if Tatia was not holding me. It left me breathless like I had purposely ran into a wall of stone. _Who am I really? Will I ever find the answers I seek? What is my purpose? Why am I any different? _I was only a servant, a simple orphan with nothing to her name, and I was not prepared for a life such as this.

Tears burst into my eyes. "_I_ am scared - frightened of what this means!" I sobbed into my hands as my shoulders shook at my agony. "I never excepted a fate like this! I do not want it!"

"Hush. I am here now," she soothed, taking me in her arms once more. "You are not alone."

Finally realizing that my friendship with her was more than Tatia's curiosity for the unknown or my only choice for companionship, I clung to her. She was not as shallow as I had mistaken her to be. It was like what she had said about her daughter, little beautiful Charlotte. Tatia had been my stronghold for years, the pillar that kept me standing. _I am not alone_, I repeated gingerly.

* * *

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2009

"Chardonnay!"

"No," I mumbled, "not right now. And for the last time, it's _Char_!"

"Good luck with that," Elena told me with a hint of a smile.

"Just answer me now!" Caroline whined. "And why Char? Chardonnay's so much cuter."

_"No!" _I almost growled as Elena went back to the kitchen.

With a pout, Caroline led me to Elena's bedroom. The bed was at the left side of her room and her dresser had been placed beside the closed window. A tattered picture of a horse hung on top of the board and next to a small green bedside table. _So Elena likes horses. _I dropped my bags next to the piles at the foot of the bed, drawing closer to the window and tugging on the red curtains. It had a homey feel to it that I instantly liked.

_Home . . . _Even if it was my first day here, I couldn't help but compare most of the things in Mystic Falls to my old life in New York. Everything was so warm and inviting here, the complete opposite to the cold sophistication of the penthouse. It was a bit small and simple for my tastes, but I would've chosen this over _that_ anytime if it meant actually living as a family.

My parents already had too much bad history between them before Winslow and I even hit ten years of age, and my older sister grew up learning to become Father's perfect little doll. Her free will was taken as he pushed her to achieve goals with no consideration for what _she_ wanted. I may had been relieved that her life was not mine, that I had a say with what I wanted to do, but I was also jealous of the attention she received - not that I'd ever say that aloud. The last Winslow and I had seen Guinevere was on my fifteenth birthday, two years ago; then three weeks later, she had disappeared.

I had been a witness to my father's fury when he unleashed his anger inside the privacy of his office. I remembered flinching at every snap of splintered wood and shatter of broken glass before it was deathly silent. Then I recalled my relief that Winslow wasn't there to hear our father cry. If I hadn't known my father as well as I did, I would've thought he'd been fighting back laughs. My father didn't laugh, at least not in front of me. It was no secret he had a good relationship with Guinevere since she was the favorite, and it really broke his heart when she left; no one saw it coming.

Father had never disowned her for it was Guinevere who abandoned us willingly; it was the puppet who left its master.

"Chardonnay?" Caroline called after changing into more comfortable clothes. "You didn't change?"

I was still wearing my jean skirt. "Oh, sorry," I mumbled sheepishly.

She turned to the mirror. "Nah, it's okay. I'll wait for you."

Closing the door behind me, I quickly changed into loose slacks and a black tank top. I caught my reflection in the mirror and ruffled my chestnut hair a bit, a little annoyed with its usual messy waves. My face was oval with a full pink lips, a straight nose, and sharp green eyes. My stare lingered on my face until I noticed I had taken too long inside and walked out. Caroline didn't seem to notice. Her attention was caught on that scarf on her neck. "Isn't it a little warm?" I asked, making conversation.

"Don't worry about me. I'm trying to begin a fashion statement."

"You do look like the type to," I remarked honestly.

"Is that a compliment?" When I nodded, she beamed. "Thanks. Let's go downstairs and meet my _ex-friend,_ shall we?"

I shook my head in amusement as we walked down the stairs. "Are you _that_ mad at her?" _Poor girl. I didn't even know her name yet and Caroline was already nudging me to dislike her._

"Of course!" She cried aloud, gaining the attention of the two girls in the kitchen.

Caroline's other best friend, or ex-friend - whatever, was sitting on the kitchen stool. The counters were kind of a mess, though. An open box of confetti cake mix was placed next to the electronic mixer, recently used, and a filled mixing bowl that smelled strongly of vanilla was perched on the girl's arm. The baking tray was at the middle and an unopened bag of paper cups was near the white rubber spatulas. Completely off to the side were the things needed to make the icing. Elena was washing things in the sink.

"Cupcakes?" Caroline asked, exasperated.

"Yes," Elena answered overdramatically, grinning.

I nodded in approval. "Yummy."

The third girl had flawless chocolate-colored skin, dark brown shoulder-length curls, and sharp facial features. She was the shortest of the three with a thin straight frame, but accomplished at being two inches taller than me. We met each other's gaze curiously. There was something different about her that interested me. It wasn't necessarily bad but just _different_. My interest piqued when something flashed in her eyes, though it disappeared as fast as it came. Her lips quirked upward to a small smile despite the tension between her and the blonde.

"Bonnie Bennett," she reached her hand out for me to shake, which I did. I noticed how her eyes widened slightly.

A friendly kind of warmth spread from my hand to the bottom pit of my stomach; and I couldn't help but smile back at her. Her lips shaped into a small 'O' as she let my hand go. Did she feel some sort of warmth too? "Chardonnay Blackburn," I replied.

She blinked and composed herself quickly. "You're Caroline's cousin?"

"Second cousin. Sheriff Forbes and my mom were cousins though."

"Through marriage?"

I thought for a moment, tense. The family tree was something to think about and I forced down my resentment to answer her innocent question. "No, my mom's dad was Sheriff Forbes' mom's brother. Er, did that make sense?"

Bonnie let out a short laugh. "A little."

"What's with the cupcakes?" Caroline asked, pointedly ignoring our exchange.

Elena glanced behind her and shrugged. I helped myself with the icing, ignoring my second cousin's glare of objection. With a swipe, she turned off the faucet and wiped her hands dry. "It's something normal. We haven't done this in a while, Caroline."

"Why _cupcakes_?"

Somewhat mocking her, I licked my fingers clean. "What do you have against cupcakes? There's nothing wrong with it."

"There's _something_ wrong with it," Caroline grumbled distastefully. "Calories!"

"You look great."

She rolled her eyes. "Easy for you to say! Three of you are already skinny!"

"You're not fat," Elena assured her.

It looked as if they had this conversation before. Caroline was a very pretty girl and it was kind of ridiculous that she couldn't see that. If anything, _I_ should have been in Caroline's position if not for my forced confidence, something that I gained at a young age. The few things that immediately caught people's attention to me were my expensive clothes, the weird murky colors of my almond-shaped eyes, and the prestige of my family. Other than that, I felt . . . plain in their presence, the actual beauties of Mystic Falls that didn't need makeup or designers.

I added, forcing away my self-doubts, "You have your own flair in the way you look. You're curvy, so what?"

"Whatever. I can't eat that."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't eat that." Caroline repeated in a more heated tone.

Backing off to avoid an argument over a simple cupcake, I frowned when I caught Bonnie and Elena exchanging wary glances. What was that about? "So, Chardonnay," Bonnie began carefully, "you're from New York, huh?"

"My brother and I were born and raised there."

"Brother?" Elena asked.

Smirking, I answered, "Yeah, his name's Wilson."

Caroline looked up at me questioningly before grinning at my joke. The conversation quickly circled around me and my experience in the Big Apple. It was the only subject they seemed to be comfortable talking about without having to drift into awkward silences. I told them how beautiful it was at night, especially living thirty-seven floors above the ground, when the city lights shined much brighter than the real cosmic stars above. Then I followed up on the shops which greatly interested Caroline, learning that we both had something in common. The conversation smoothly went into the topic of the latest fashion.

Elena and Bonnie made an effort to ease the tension and offered a comment here and there. When the cupcakes were finished, icing and all, Caroline jumped to her feet. "Now _that_ is finished, can we do something _funner?_ Like our nails?"

"Funner isn't a word," Elena corrected softly.

"It is in my world," Caroline argued with teasing grin.

She scowled when Bonnie shifted with discomfort. The blond was doing a great job with ignoring her and while the others were irritated, I was impressed. "Er, Care, can I talk to you in the hallway? Alone?"

My second cousin must've known what it was about and frowned, shooting me a look of help which I disregarded. She had not choice but to follow Elena, leaving Bonnie and I to ourselves. "Why didn't your brother come with you guys?" Bonnie inquired politely.

"The jetlag . . ."

"Oh right. You guys just arrived this afternoon."

"Practically a few hours ago," I laughed, stretching wearily. "Caroline told him it was girls' night. He's into girls but he won't survive spending a few hours watching us do our nails and hair." The dark girl stiffened a bit at the blonde's name. She must've been really upset about the fight. They were somewhat close friends after all, and no amount of corrections from Caroline was going to change that anytime soon. "So . . . do you have any siblings?"

She shook her head. "Nope. The only child."

"Is that any fun?"

"I dont know," She smiled in humor. "Is having a brother any fun?"

"Touché."

"-ugh, do I have to?" Caroline's voice demanded wearily.

With matching arched brows, we turned to watch Elena and Caroline return - Caroline looking more or less peeved. I saw Elena giving her a stern glare behind Bonnie's shoulder. My dear second cousin took a deep breath and blurted out, "Okay, fine. Bonnie, I'm sorry." Elena relaxed slightly and then tensed again when Caroline decided to put her two cents afterwards. "If you want the ugly ass necklace then keep it, it's yours. I don't want it anymore. It was so out of fashion anyways, right Chardonnay?"

I bit back my scolding since I didn't really want to get in-between anything, especially being fresh off the airplane. "Right. Totally out of style," was my reply when Elena used her wide doe-like eyes on me, begging me to help her fix their friendship - may it be a push or a shove. _But I never even saw the necklace. How am I supposed to know?_

Bonnie cleared her throat. "Will you stay mad at me if I tell you I threw it away?"

Her reaction was instant. "You did _what_!?" Caroline roared, pissed as hell. Elena and I both jumped at the volume of her voice, both shocked at her response. I honestly had to hand it to Bonnie when she didn't even cringe at her yelling.

"It's just a necklace," I reminded her, scowling. She didn't even glance at my direction.

Bonnie pressed, "It sounds crazy, but it felt like it was giving me nightmares. I couldn't handle it and I wanted to get rid of it, so I did."

"Like what, it's haunted?"

My words went ignored when Caroline shouted, "If you didn't want it, why make such a big deal about it in the first place? You should've given it back to me, Bonnie!"

"Why do you want it so much?" Bonnie asked charily.

"Yeah, Caroline," Elena urged. "Weren't you just gonna give it to Damon?"

She scoffed, throwing her hands up in the air as if we were exasperating her. "Screw Damon and his deep blue eyes. We're doing our nails now because I can't stand that we're going to stand here all night, the latter being not an option. Do you guys have your kits?"

"In my bag upstairs."

Caroline used that as an excuse to leave, stomping on her heels as she did. I turned to the two girls suspiciously. "Who's Damon?"

The two of them seemed to have forgotten I was there and whirled around at the sound of my voice. I smiled, clearly amused, until an uneasy look passed Elena's face. She was hiding something, that I was sure of. "Caroline's ex."

"Caroline's ex?" I repeated. _Sounds interesting. _"What happened between them?"

"Who knows?" Elena asked back vaguely.

Before I could say anything, we heard Caroline call out, "You are such the little liar, Bonnie!" She walked back to us with something in her hand. It was a bronze necklace and its pendant hung in front of Bonnie's face that was frozen in shock. It was oval except for the quadrilateral gemstone on the middle, shining under the low lights. It was antique and pretty, but a bit too old-fashioned for this time around. "What the hell?"

"I wasn't lying to you, I swear. I really did get rid of it." Bonnie explained, a small tremor in her voice.

Caroline was going to say something, but Elena intervened. "She isn't lying, Caroline. I was there too when she threw it into the forest and unless I'm seeing things too-"

"Or you two are both lying to my face!" Caroline cried out angrily. "Try and explain this to me, please!"

Bonnie paled a little but said, "Emily."

"Who's Emily?" Caroline looked to Elena accusingly, but Elena shrugged as if to say it wasn't her place to say.

When my second cousin moved her hard gaze at my direction, I shot her an incredulous stare. As if _I_ would know anyone else in Mystic Falls. "Hey, I just moved here. How am I supposed to know an Emily when I've only met you three?"

"She's a ghost."

Elena didn't seem surprised by Bonnie's confession, but Caroline and I sure were. Her expression held annoyance and mild impatience; I could guess in another's point of view I looked intrigued more than anything. "A ghost? Really? I'm not stupid you know."

"She's not joking," Elena defended her.

As if tired, Bonnie buried her face in her hands. "Why can't she leave me alone? I don't want a part of this."

The pretty brunette placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" She let out a tired groan. "I don't know, Elena."

"Okay, I'm lost," I told them. Again, I was ignored. _What did a ghost have anything to do with this?_ I didn't even know they existed - or believed they were there. It was creepy to accept that they were around just watching you live your life, always_ looking_.

"What is going on?" Caroline snapped; her patience broke. The three seemed to have forgotten that I was there as tensions rose. "You know, you guys do this to me all the time! I'm never a part of your conversation! I may as well be the third wheel to your duo!"

Elena crossed her arms. "That's totally not true."

_I beg to differ_, I thought silently. This was getting a bit too personal between the three of them and I had no problem playing referee. Maybe a little.

"I just can't talk to you," Bonnie told Caroline honestly. "You don't listen to me."

Caroline gaped, offended. She had a mixture of hurt and guilt in her voice. "W-What? That's not true."

"I'm a witch."

My mouth slightly snapped open. I had no reason to believe that she was lying, literally feeling the truth of her words. It was strange, but I _trusted_ her. Maybe that was why I had that warm feeling settle in my stomach before. Did that mean I was a witch too? Could she know what I was? There was so much I wanted to ask Bonnie but I didn't exactly want Elena or Caroline to listen in. It had always been Winslow and I - the dynamic pair - when it came to learning about my powers, the supernatural in other words. To finally know that there was someone with actual answers to my questions, my mood from this morning lifted to greater heights.

"Bonnie," Elena warned. She did a poor job at being discreet when her eyes apologetically flickered to my face.

"No, I can trust her. It's fine if she hears." Bonnie glanced at me, unwittingly affirming my suspicions.

As foreign as those words were to me, I found myself nodding in agreement. _So she felt it too. She knows something._

"Great for her," Caroline muttered a little bitterly. I tried not to take it personally. I'd get jealous too if someone gained my best friend's trust so easily since I was exactly the same way with Winslow. "What about me?"

"I'm a witch," Bonnie repeated more firmly.

"Yes, you said that already. What else-"

"See? That's what I've just said to you a few minutes ago! You're not listening! Ugh, you're not even _trying_ to listen to me!" Frustrated, she stormed to the living room to get a breather. The silence was clouding us like a thick fog.

Caroline frowned, upset that she had pushed Bonnie a bit too far. "I listen, don't I?"

I didn't say anything and neither did Elena who was fearing she'd anger her. Instead, I stood up from my seat and pushed her to the living room, taking a step back to give them space. I was doing exactly what Elena asked of me. Caroline was uncomfortable but knew what I wanted her to do. She made her way to the living room as I returned to the kitchen, waiting for something to happen. It wasn't really uncomfortable staying with a girl I barely knew, but the lasting atmosphere from the fight still lingered in the kitchen. We both knew we didn't need to talk and we had nothing to say to each other as we silently supported them from afar.

Ahead, I heard a cry erupt then light giggling. Elena and I wore matching grins when the two girls returned with their own smiles. "Did you make up?" I asked, affording to be sympathetic.

They both nodded; and they weren't the only ones relieved. "Finally!" Elena cheered, giving them both a hug. I would've joined them but I wasn't a hugging person. Maybe if I was drunk - _nah._ "Now things can get back to slightly normal."

Bonnie and I managed to lock doubtful gazes. We somehow knew things wouldn't be normal for a long while, but I wasn't really sure how or why. I wasn't even certain if Bonnie felt it as strongly as I did, but things felt rather _off_. Caroline brightened. "Now we got past all the drama, let's have fun already!"

Unimpressed, I crossed my arms. "Like what?"

Thinking for a moment, she suddenly grinned. "I got it! Why don't we hold a séance?"

"What?" Elena scolded lightly. "Caroline!"

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Bonnie told her with a frown.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Please, my witchy friend. Let's summon up whatever it is that's supposedly haunting the necklace. This Emily chick has some talking to do later when we get her." To my surprise, Bonnie and Caroline looked to me, both wanting some sort of support for each of their side - to agree or disagree. "So?" She asked expectantly.

I stayed quiet, making a face. _Yep, something's seriously off._


	4. Behind The Shy Smiles

_**Please don't think I've given up on the story if I can't update for a while.** I've already given my word to finish this and from the pace I realized I'm writing in, I'm going to be here for a long time. This might go past more than 30 - 40 chapters with all the stuff I've got to cover. Please be patient with the good stuff. I'm trying to have other view points of the other characters during the original Vampire Diaries plot - more than just Elena and the Salvatore brothers and what they're doing all the time. They'll be making an appearance soon, I haven't forgotten them. I'll make it as interesting as I can. Enjoy it, read it, review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Four**

**Behind The Shy Smiles**

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2009

Today had been a busy day for me. I realized that as we were sitting in a circle in Elena's bedroom, getting ready to start Caroline's horrific plan of saving this blasted sleepover. From getting whacked in the face in the airport and starting friendships with Elena and Bonnie during a fight between close friends, I was surprised I hadn't crashed from the exhaustion of it all. I was even more surprised of myself by actually _agreeing_ to participate in this séance; and I wasn't even sure if ghost really existed. If they did, was it smart to do this kind of voodoo?

Caroline sat between Bonnie and I, lighting the candles and motioning for Elena to turn off the lights. We shared uneasy looks at the sudden darkness of the room. "I still think this is a bad idea," Bonnie murmured.

"Relax, it's not like anything's gonna happen," Caroline said dismissively.

I scowled at her desperate act to save the sleepover. "Then why are we doing this in the first place?"

"Does it look like there's anything _else_ for us to do?"

"Lots."

"Something _fun_?"

I bit my lip, glancing at Elena with a small apology in my eyes, and Elena shook her head. "It's fine, Char. I admit that movies and cupcakes weren't my best ideas."

"Like ever," Caroline mumbled. Bonnie and I frowned at her tactlessness; couldn't she have been any less obvious with her light accusation? "Let's get this thing started."

She took hold of my hand and Bonnie's as well in a tight grip. "Okay then . . ."

It was like she was expecting us to make a run for the door the moment she dropped her guard, and my lips turned up at that thought. Elena mirrored her actions less enthusiastically. Another fuzzy feeling warmed my stomach when our hands touched; it was quite different to what I felt with Bonnie. It was friendly, yes, but very familiar - I just couldn't put my finger on it. Why hadn't I felt this at the door the first time we held hands? A late reaction maybe? Was Elena something . . . _supernatural_ as well?

Caroline interrupted my train of thought and I pushed my suspicions away for now. "Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and calm your thoughts." We did as she told us, Bonnie being the hesitant one of the group. I could literally hear our heartbeats picking up at Caroline's next words. "Bonnie, call to her."

"Emily," she said in a bored tone, "You there?"

I opened my eyes and to my amusement, we were all looking at Bonnie in confusion. "Emily, you there?" Caroline repeated with an exasperated sigh. "C'mon, that's all you got? Where's the spirit in that? Give it your best shot. Do it again."

Bonnie shot her a dirty look. "I didn't even want to do this."

"I second that," I chipped in.

"You guys aren't even trying to enjoy tonight!" My second cousin cried out, "You keep questioning everything I'm doing. We're supposed to have fun if you've forgotten."

Bonnie groaned in defeat. "Whatever."

Caroline turned to me, fluttering her blue eyes and giving me a puppy dog face. With a nod, I glanced away quickly. "Do what you want." She just loved using the guilt/cute card, didn't she? We closed our eyes again, less tense than before.

"Emily, I call on you." When nothing happened, Bonnie tried again more seriously, "I know you have a message for me. So now I'm here to listen."

A flash of heat passed through my body and the force of it took most of the air in my lungs. Chills began to crawl up my spine at the foreign feeling in the room, my hands instinctively tightening on theirs. My heartbeat began to pound in my chest. _Something is here_, a voice murmured in my head, neither cautious or unguarded. The candles flickered suddenly, cloaking us in darkness for a second or two, and we all jumped apart with our eyes wide and anticipating. That was a big mistake. Even with the candles steady again, I felt a little cold, bare. Something was wrong and I honestly didn't want to see anything I wasn't ready for. Maybe a headless dead girl in a white dress?

"Oh, hell. Did you feel that?" I breathed as I crossed my arms over my chest, shivering slightly at the abrupt chlll. Bonnie and Elena unexpectedly did the same.

Caroline looked around the room, wearing a wary expression as if Bloody Mary was going to pop out of nowhere and drag one of us away. "That was-"

"Nothing," Bonnie interjected, anxious. "That was _nothing,_ Caroline. It was just the air conditioning."

Stubborn as always, she told her in excitement, "Ask Emily if that was a sign." When Bonnie turned her head around defiantly, Caroline took the lead and with a clear voice called, "Emily, if you're really here among us, show us another sign."

"Caroline!" Elena hissed but stayed silent afterwards, waiting for anything else to happen.

"It's not working. That really was nothing," Bonnie assured us when nothing out of the blue happened. It was upsetting to hear the panic in her voice, and it sounded like she was assuring herself more so than us.

Elena opened her mouth to say something when the window snapped open by itself and slammed against the upper window sill, the glass trembling from the force of it. We gave out small screams of shock and instantly edged away from the wall. "What was that?" She demanded, not expecting an answer.

"Damn," I let out. A breeze flew past the open window, only intensifying the gelidity that settled in the room.

"That is _it_! I can't do this!" Bonnie yanked the necklace off from her neck and flung it away from her. It landed in the middle of the candles that flickered at each waft of air. "I am done!"

I couldn't help but agree and got to my feet. "Sorry Elena but I kind of want to get out of your room right now."

Before Caroline could argue, the worst possible thing happened. Our dread reached its peak when the candles were put out without warning, and I saw nothing but shadows. My imagination dangerously went on overdrive and my childhood fears of the boogeyman rose up again. I didn't know who screamed afterwards, but there was a high probability that it was me who screamed bloody murder. "The lights! Someone _please _get the lights!" I heard Bonnie shriek.

A few footsteps later, someone flipped the switch. "Got it!" Elena gasped.

Caroline and I eased up slightly when the darkness was gone, but the damage was done. My nerves were on edge and I wasn't the only one. All of us were on our feet. "This is freaky," I said, swallowing hard.

"Guys, the necklace is gone." Bonnie whispered. Our eyes simultaneously drifted off to where she had thrown that godforsaken piece of metal; it wasn't there.

"Okay, Caroline. Very funny . . ."

Caroline gaped at Elena. "Excuse me?"

"You made your point," Elena continued rejectedly, "and we totally get it. For fun, right? Now give it back."

Miffed, she narrowed her large, blue eyes at us. "I didn't take it."

Something caught my eye in the hallway and I frowned in confusion when I saw nothing. I immediately latched on to the closest person to me which happened to be Elena. "Char?" She took one look at me and followed my gaze to across the hall. "Jeremy?" She called out, walking forward.

_Who was Jeremy?_

I followed when I refused to let her arm go. We stood at the doorway to his room which was impressively clean for a guy. A few things were scattered at his desk and his stuff were randomly put in the shelves without order, but at least there weren't clothes lying on the floor. It was a low-ceiling bedroom that was connected to Elena's by the joint bathroom. Winslow didn't have a problem with keeping his things organized so we never argued about finding things that weren't meant to be found by the opposite sex - not yet anyways. I was less vigilant with keeping my things intact and neat than Winslow, which annoyed him greatly.

"Guys?" We turned to see Bonnie bending down to pick something up from the floor. I couldn't see what caught her attention, but her face wore a mask of absolute fear.

"Bonnie?" I asked cautiously when she took a step back. Elena was not far behind, staring at her best friend with worry. The doors swung forward, nearly hitting my face, and slammed shut on both sides. There was a scream from the inside and my blood sharply froze.

I heard Caroline's gasp. "Bonnie? _Bonnie!_"

Elena tried to yank it open, twisting on the knob and slapping her palm on the door. Her screams only heightened. I slammed the door with my fists, yelling for someone - _anyone_ to do something in vain. Even our efforts of kicking it down didn't work. It remained unaffected by our struggles. Elena blurted out in a hurry, "Let's go to Caroline." We dashed to her side and combined our strengths to see if that would help; it didn't.

As quickly as the screaming began, it stopped. The silence was much more frightening than her screams. "Bonnie?" Caroline asked hesitantly, fearing the answer. I think we all did.

Not wasting a second, I shoved the door open with a slam that echoed throughout the house. I would've apologized but I was too caught up in my worry and Elena didn't seem to notice. We eyed Bonnie in the middle of the bathroom with her face in her hands, breathing heavily as if to catch her breath. She looked so defenseless and fragile that the questions that threatened to spill from my mouth burned out. Caroline stayed at the door as Elena and I gingerly made our way to her side. The feeling of something _there_ intensified as I drew closer to the dark-skinned girl, making me swallow down my apprehension that was telling me to be wary.

"What happened?" Elena asked softly. "Are you alright?"

Bonnie looked up to meet Elena's gaze emotionlessly before turning to me. Her dark brown orbs flickered with interest, almost scrutinizing me under her hard stare. I was surprised to see a flash of respect gleam in her eyes for a few seconds before it disappeared and she became indifferent again. "I am fine." Her tone was fixed and dispassionate.

The was a moment of silence. I didn't think either of us knew what to do or how to react to that until there was a sudden yell from behind us, full of outrage. "Oh, my _God_! Y-You were faking it!" Caroline was livid. She could've had steam coming out her ears. "I can't believe you! Seriously? I said _fun_! I don't remember telling you to scream like a dying banshee and scare the hell out of us!"

"Caroline," Elena began impatiently.

"No! This is such a sick joke Bonnie!" Caroline snapped before storming off.

Elena and I exchanged looks before glancing at the silent girl. "Are you sure you're okay?" I asked fastidiously.

Her lips quivered upward before returning to a straight line. "I am fine. Everything will be fine."

I was a little perplexed with her attitude as she walked past us to the stairs. I tried looking to Elena for answers but she was deep at thought. Following Bonnie to the hallway, I heard Caroline in Elena's room as she steamed. "I cannot _believe_ her. Ugh, I can't believe I fell for it."

"I must go," Bonnie announced as she ignored Caroline.

Feeling offended, Caroline muttered, "Then I'm going too."

Elena argued, appearing at my side and holding on to Bonnie's forearm to keep her still. "You can't just leave - both of you, I mean."

My second cousin went in the bedroom and grabbed our things, handing me my bag as well. "No way am I staying here tonight. This is just too much freaky witch stuff to go through at one time. Later Elena." She turned her head childishly at Bonnie before walking to the door, leaving Elena gaping after her. Caroline seemed to have forgotten it was _her_ idea in the first place.

Glancing at the brunette, I managed to say calmly, "Well, that was one hell of a sleepover. I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

She tried to smile, failing. "Er . . . yeah, I'll look for you."

Still a bit freaked, I didn't know how to approach Bonnie. She was moodier than I was which definitely was saying something. "Um, see you around."

Bonnie only stared at me in reply. I would've been lying if I said I wasn't a bit creeped out with that too. As if something would try to scare me on the way to the door, I took only three steps down until a hand clenched tightly around my shoulder, making me jump in fright. "Please forgive me."

"I forgive you," I replied instinctively. Whatever for? I had no clue.

She didn't acknowledge what I had said and warned, "She is not the same girl as before, Varvara."

Elena and I stared at her inquiringly. I was going to ask who Varvara was when an impatient honk made us jump - aside from Bonnie, of course. "Chardonnay! C'mon already!" We heard Caroline's muffled voice from outside. With another questioning glance, I broke free from her grip and literally ran from the house. I didn't care what they thought of me at that moment. They were either questionably insane or very devoted and skilled actresses to freak two girls out of their house. Bonnie, especially, was confusing to comprehend.

"Finally," Caroline muttered as I slid on my seatbelt.

I spared her a look and bluntly told her, "You have strange friends."

"Ugh, tell me about it."

* * *

-The New World-

1024

"Where had you gone?" Aunt Sylvia asked me the next evening.

Surprised at my aunt's query, I calmed my stiff body for I did not want her to suspect a thing. "I do not know what you mean."

I had been busy with Yvonne the entire morning and afternoon, painfully listening to her brag about what an amusing and satisfying night she had. Yvonne had affirmed my guess of seeing the foreigners at the feast, claiming their beauty and difference in style. That wasn't the only reason behind my lack of conversation with Aunt Sylvia. I felt guilty for avoiding her, carefully taking longer ways to where I had to go instead of taking a chance to come across my aunt. Despite gaining Tatia's forgiveness, I feared that it would only be time until she realized there was more to me than my abnormal eyes.

"Heidi, please stop."

There was a motherly tone in her voice that I immediately caught and I looked up from my work. "Pardon?"

She shook her head to say that I wasn't in trouble and I relaxed slightly. "Last night I had searched the crowd for you,"

"I would have ruined the feast,"

"If you must care for one's thoughts, let it be your own."

A bit ashamed, I glanced away. "It would not have made a difference."

Aunt Sylvia gave me a sad smile that I saw from the corner of my eye and nodded for me to return to my work, finishing the vegetables for dinner. On usual routine, I would have been assisting Yvonne with whatever she needed but Magdalene requested my presence in the kitchen. Emanuel and Magdalene were hosting guests for the night. Who exactly? I did not know. I was flushed from the heat of the fire, patting my warmed cheeks with the edges of my sleeve. I may not have burned last night but I did not fully know of my capabilities or my control. I hardly wished to lose an arm on a tiny chance that I would not feel fire's wrath.

When I was dismissed, she told me to inform Magdalene that dinner would soon be ready. I found her finely dressed in her best gown, organizing the tables for seven people. She caught sight of me and smiled. When I informed her of Aunt Sylvia's thoughts, she was pleased. Magdalene then looked at my apparel and told me to clean up. "You and your family may eat afterwards."

"Of course. Thank you."

With another smile, I went to my room which was considerably smaller than Yvonne's. I had three dresses at my disposal; the one I was wearing was torn and used to its limit from all the housecleaning over the years. Magdalene had promised me a new one once the tailor returned from his travels to other smaller villages such as ours, across the hills and valleys. Gingerly, I combed my hair to make sure it was free of leaves and dust, and slipped into a pale blue dress that made my skin look creamy. Glancing up, I saw that Aunt Sylvia had appeared at my doorway, running her clean fingers through my blond locks.

To my dismay, she looked so melancholy - guilty, even. "You have grown," she sighed.

"It is inevitable," I told her softly.

"Heidi, you deserve more."

Caught up with emotion, I hugged her. Tears did not come for I had used them all last night. I missed the reassurance this once had given me, but for now, I was content with the warmth that enveloped my body. "I shall be content with what I am blessed with, Aunt Sylvia."

"Such a sweet girl." Aunt Sylvia nodded determinedly. "I shall wait for you when they leave."

When I saw the worried look on her face, I asked, "What bothers you still?"

"It is your uncle. I worry for him as well."

"Is he unwell?"

She shrugged. "I have yet to see him since last night."

My eyes widened slightly. "Should we inform Magdalene of this?"

Aunt Sylvia pressed her lips together. She did not want to cause problems, especially if Uncle Johan was not in any danger in the long run, but she was anxious for her husband. "Let us give your uncle time. I am sure he will return safely."

We separated as she returned to the kitchens and I to the dining hall. My duty was to wait on them as they ate while Aunt Sylvia prepared and brought out the dishes I had helped create in the kitchen. Uncle Johan was the stableman of the household, and he was commonly missing from the house most of the time, only having the pleasure of seeing us during breakfast and dinner. I made my way behind Magdalene's figure as Emanuel greeted the guest, Yvonne right beside him. She was in a vivid scarlet dress with her hair twisted back simply, a few curls loose and hanging against the base of her collarbone. As scandalous as her apparel was, she was unmistakably beautiful.

"Just in time," Magdalene noted.

I grinned sheepishly. "Forgive me."

Filled with curiosity, I saw four people enter - one by one with their own aura of poise and mystery. A man with sparkling blue eyes and dark blond hair stepped forward, taking Emanuel's hand in greeting. He was a handsome fellow who could greatly rival that dark-haired stranger I could not forget. The men greeted each other, hinting that they had met during the feast. Behind them, a breathtaking young woman who could not have yet passed twenty years stood firmly on his right. She bore similar features to that of the blond with long, fair hair, twinkling light blue eyes, and an oval-shaped face with pale skin. Her perfectly pink lips curved into a civil smile as she took the sight of Emanuel and Yvonne.

"Emanuel," the blond greeted before turning to his daughter. He took Yvonne's hand in his, placing a chaste kiss on the back of her hand without ever moving his eyes from hers. "Yvonne. Tis lovely to see you again."

Yvonne giggled. "Twas only, merely moments ago."

I could sense Magdalene's uneasiness at the obvious lust in his eyes and Yvonne's smugness for capturing his attention, but said nothing. Emanuel obviously approved when he took a discreet step away from the pair. When I took her hand shyly as comfort, she glanced down, inquiring. "I am fine," Magdalene whispered hesitantly.

Two more entered the hall. The third was a younger man who appeared to be of eighteen years. He bared a striking resemblance of that unknown traveler and my mouth hung partially open in shock. _They surely could not be related._

_No . . . could they? _His straight dark brown hair reached past his shoulders and his narrow eyes assessed Yvonne's family politely. They traveled to Magdalene once he acknowledged her husband and daughter, before they landed on me. It was confusing when he openly stared at me, the smile freezing on his face. Several emotions flashed through his face - too fast for me to understand, but I caught a single emotion that was caught between astonishment and obfuscation.

_Is this how people will continue to react to my gaze?_

The blonde noticed his confusion and followed his stare to me. Her reaction was similar to that of the boy's - wonder, shock, and _joy_ - but there was also worry that lingered in her light blue eyes. She composed herself faster than the boy, adapting a cool expression as her attention returned to her companion. Her lips moved and though I could not hear the words, I had a feeling she snapped him out of his daze, mercifully releasing me of his scrutinizing stare. He mouthed unwaveringly, "My apologies."

Blinking, I managed a nod. I thought that would have been the end of any more unwelcomed surprises. What a fool I was for I had hoped too soon.

As the fourth person entered the group, I met his familiar oak brown eyes. The air in my lungs gave out as a spark of familiarity appeared on his face. He was bringing more unfamiliar emotions out from myself, making me feel like a stranger to my own body. I glanced at Yvonne uneasily but she was too preoccupied with the blond to notice anything else. "Emanuel, Yvonne, Magdalene," his smooth voice began, his gaze never leaving mine. My cheeks reddened at the attention. "On behalf of my family, we are honored to be invited to your lovely home."

"It is only our pleasure to." Magdalene offered him a friendly smile.

My stomach sank uncomfortably. _Yes, then I am right. Those two are blood related._ I studied them briefly, controlling myself from staring at Elijah particularly longer than the rest. They were wearing strange clothes, far different from the ones in this village, but it added to their appeal. They were all beautiful, uniquely gorgeous for we all seemed _plain_ beside their commanding presence. I now knew why the village people had created such a fuss.

Yvonne glanced at the youngest of the group. Curiosity flashed in her bright green eyes. "I had not seen you during the feast,"

The blond smirked. "He follows the ever noble footsteps of our eldest brother, does he not Elijah?"

The dark-haired stranger turned to him, raising an eyebrow at his antics. "He is someone I am proud of."

_Elijah_, I tested the roll of his name in my head. It suited him, to be honest. Magdalene shot me a strange look and I realized I was openly swooning over a man she believed was a stranger. Composing myself, I responded with an apologetic expression.

"I am known as Henrik," I heard the youngest greet, "It is a joy to finally meet you, Yvonne."

She blushed. "To you as well, Henrik."

The four turned to the dinning hall before Aunt Sylvia appeared past the doors. Magdalene nudged me gently and I walked over to hold the second handle, my back heating at the stares that followed me. My neck was prickling at the weight of their stares. Taking a deep breath, I pressed my back to the door, keeping my attention on the ground meekly. I could smell a hint of his natural musk when Elijah passed painfully near. If I had reached out, I would have made contact with his hand. My cheeks warmed as I noted the clean attractive quality of his scent.

Then I reddened. _What is it that I am doing? _Going so far as to smell him, I had to accept Tatia's words. I was devastatingly entranced to this man named Elijah. The desperate part of me began to wish I had taken Tatia's advice to heart for I had no clue on how to catch a man's interest. I then remembered Tatia's warning, the risk of getting close. Did I wish myself to ignore her heeds of warning? Tatia did not warn me for pointless reasons, but to protect me from the heartache that would surely come to me if I pursued this path.

_No, do not go through this! Choose the way that best suits the preservation of your well-being_, a voice scolded me. It was what Aunt Sylvia would say as well. Elijah did not belong here and if my captivation grew more than interest, I would later reap what I sowed.

Ahead, the table was large enough to hold at least ten people and plenty of food for thirteen. The mouthwatering scents of supper made my stomach squirm and I slowly exhaled, hoping my stomach wouldn't growl at such a time - that would be embarrassing, even degrading in others' views. As I worked, I caught the blond beauty staring at me once again as if to check I was not a figment of her imagination; she appeared almost shy. Emanuel and Magdalene led them to their seats, telling short stories of their livelihood. Only Elijah and Henrik appeared to be listening, Niklaus being distracted by their daughter.

Emanuel, being the head of the house, sat at the end with Magdalene at his right and Yvonne his left. Elijah was between Magdalene and Henrik while the pair of blonds sat at Yvonne's right side. Magdalene glanced at Aunt Sylvia. "The wine, please."

She gave me a reassuring smile as she handed me the pitcher, reminding me of my duty. I forced myself to remain calm as I made my way around the table, especially when I neared Elijah and Henrik. They were glimpsing somewhat fondly at me and that added to my confusion. They were discreet about their stares too or Yvonne would've had my head by now. _Who are they? Why are they giving me unnecessary attention?_ They were acting as if they liked me. _What had I done to gain such . . . affection?_

My heart skipped a beat when I accidentally pressed my lower arm on Elijah's shoulder. I could feel the warmth despite our layers of clothing. "My apologies, Elijah." I squeaked out.

He nodded, keeping a straight face though he seemed pleased with me saying his name. "There is no need."

Forcing down the desire to strike a conversation with him, I walked away and proceeded to fill Magdalene's cup. I peeked under my lashes and watched Yvonne warily. Thankfully, her focus was on her target - on Niklaus. The blonde beauty stiffened when I leaned over them to fill their chalices, her pink lips curving down warily. The blue-eyed man tilted his head up, his long blond hair brushing against my covered forearm suggestively. That act alone ignited my insides with warning. "And who is this?"

I straightened up before looking at him directly, secretly wondering what his reaction would be. Shamefully, I gave him less credit than he deserved. Amusement and curiosity flittered through his eyes that had imperceptibly widened as he scrutinized me; even a small glint of disbelief crossed. Yvonne frowned at the lack of attention. "Niklaus, this is Heidi," she added rather nastily, "one of the servants of this household."

"Yvonne," Magdalene intervened, "how is Freja?"

Clearing her throat delicately, her daughter immediately backed off, brightening at the sound of her friend's name. "She had claimed to be made for marriage life. I can only guess it is suitable for _certain_ types of people."

Escaping, I placed the pitcher at table and settled into standing at the background, purposely facing Elijah's back. I would not be able to concentrate if I met his intense eyes once again. They began to eat, though the guests seemed to just move the food around their plates. The sound their utensils brushing against their plates echoed softly in the dinning hall. "I am happy for her," Magdalene decided aloud. She turned to Elijah, sincerely curious. "Do you not have a beloved of your own, Elijah?"

I found myself waiting for his answer and couldn't help the relief I felt when he answered, "No, I do not."

"Do you plan to?"

He replied simply, "If fate is kind, it may be."

"What of you?" Emanuel asked Niklaus.

The girl beside Niklaus frowned at the question, clearly annoyed at Emanuel's desire for her daughter to be tied down with her brother. "I once did," he answered, surprising everyone on the table. Even his siblings looked a bit intrigued. _They are not as close as everyone presumes_, I thought silently, feeling a little pity for the blond man.

Yvonne didn't look pleased but questioned him to ease her main concern. "Did you marry?"

Another smirk graced his lips. His eyes flickered to at my direction so fast, I was beginning to think I had imagined it. "No, we did not." His siblings stayed silent while Yvonne and Emanuel visibly relaxed. I couldn't help but grit my teeth at their lack of sympathy. Emanuel was a fair landowner and did not ask for much in return, but when it came to his daughter, he acted just as bad as she did.

"I'm honestly surprised I was not informed of this, brother," the girl commented, trying to keep her tone light. Despite her tries for the picture of tranquility, her pretty face held a silent storm of anger and impatience.

"I had feared you would have reacted," he replied vaguely. From where I stood, I could not see Elijah or Henrik's reaction but the tension in the air was noticable. Did they disapprove as well?

Her scowl hardened. "If it was deserved, perhaps."

"Rebekah," Elijah warned.

She pouted but listened. "Forgive me." Her clipped apology did no good. No one was eating anymore for the air had turned too serious and gravely solemn.

A faint teasing smile appeared on his face despite the mood. "You would have liked her."

"What was she called?" Henrik asked cautiously. Yvonne liked this question as she leaned closer to Niklaus, frowning when he disregarded her completely. He didn't even turn to her as he usually did.

"Laelia," he murmured.

Niklaus had been in love once.

I did not know him for long but it seemed odd to know that he felt such an emotion. Was it instinct telling me this? His brothers had thought so too and stayed silent, not wanting to push for more details of his secret beloved. Rebekah, on the other hand, was quietly fuming. Her irritation turned her table manners harsh and unladylike. When Niklaus turned to stare at me, I was not imagining the circumstances in my head - this was real, raw. Nicklaus' blue eyes had darkened considerably through his banter with his sister and I nearly found it difficult to hold his stare. There was a familiar glaze in his eyes, similar to that haunted look from Tatia at the mention of her deceased lover - longing, sadness, and love.

Sharply, I inhaled. He was staring at me with love. His affectionate gaze was not for me, I knew that clearly, but no one had ever showed me such passion before. Overwhelmed, I focused on the patterns of the floor, my heart pounding against my ribcage. _What is this?_ I asked myself, _why am I reacting in such a way? This is not my pain to bear._

Magdalene cleared her throat with obvious discomfort. "I am sorry for your loss."

"As am I," Henrik put in. In agreement, they continued their dinner with no more disputes. I kept an eye on Niklaus after that, watching how he forced back the pain and plastered on a smile. He and Tatia were so much alike. It was somewhat unfair.

_As am I_, I repeated delicately, letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding in. Then something peculiar happened. From the amount of sympathy he was receiving, I could have sworn that the corners of his lips quivered upward in triumph.


	5. Walking On Daydreams

_If you want more Henrik of some kind, don't be shy to post a comment/review! I hope I wasn't too mushy with Niklaus earlier. Who knows? He might have some ulterior motive . . . or not? I mean, who knows whatever it is Niklaus is thinking? There are no Originals in this chapter - sorry! __I'm not sure if this will answer some of your questions on what direction I'm planning to go through with the story or if it'll just add more questions to your confusion. Got the town's name from a few websites about medieval Bulgarian towns and did my research so if I got anything wrong with what I wrote - any conflicting history with the town's history, I apologize firsthand! Enjoy it, read it, and **review** it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Five**

**Walking On Daydreams**

-Kavarna, Bulgaria-

1489

"Tighter," my mother ordered.

My nails dug deeper into the bedpost, fighting the urge to snap at her. The maidservant glanced at me warily as if sensing my thoughts, and successfully squeezed the rest of the air out of my lungs. A pained wheeze escaped my lips. My face twisted into a grimace as she laced the strings into a knot, stepping away from me when my mother inspected the gown with a resolute scowl. The fabric was the color of jaded green that made me appear weak and delicate. I hated it, but Mother was insistent. It complimented my long light brown hair and bluish, indigo and hazel green eyes. They were claimed to be my best feature aside from my curves and perfectly arched pink lips.

"Tsveta, you may leave."

A flash of relief crossed her face as she inclined her head meekly and hurried out of my bedroom. "Thank you, my lady."

"Remove that look on your face," my mother told me sternly once the maidservant was gone, stroking the corners of my mouth as if she was wiping the frown away. "I will not have you waste such a face on an expression like that."

"Yes Mama . . ."

"And that tone," she continued to reprehend. "You were born and raised as a lady so you will act as such. It is not dignified to mumble your words. Have I not told you this several times before?"

Carefully, I replied, "I apologize. It must be the _lack of air_. I feel faint."

"Nonsense, it is not the dress at fault. When has the last time you have eaten?" She pursed her lips, completely ignoring my words. "You may eat after the gathering. I will not have you faint of starvation during your introduction as a young lady of seventeen."

"I have attended these galas for a year. I shall do my best not humiliate you."

"That I already know, Varvara, but this is of utmost importance. You must be perfect when you are at the perfect age to attract suitors. _Second_ best is not enough."

Cringing at the enthusiasm in her voice, I reminded her gently, "Please do not forget of the deal I made with Papa."

"Oh, yes." My mother was not pleased. If it was not heard in her voice, it was the sight of her peeved expression. "I cannot forget your father's horrid decision. I still wonder as to why he agreed to such a thing at each sunrise and sunset."

". . . Apprehend my words. I am not ready."

"You requested a mere two years of freedom. What difference does it make if you marry at the age of nineteen when you can marry now?"

I sensed another argument growing and glanced away, upset that she did not understand. "I do not wish to be married."

"What else is there that you plan to do with your life?" My mother asked, demanding an answer.

"My passion, Mama!"

She patronizingly scoffed at the hopeful look on my face. "You are a strange one indeed. Painting will lead you nowhere."

"It is what I wish to do," I reasoned.

"Let go of your useless fantasies! Surely you do not think you will survive on paper and pencil alone. Be practical!"

At the tense atmosphere, my mother sighed. She placed a finger under my chin and raised my face to meet my eyes. The exasperation in her voice dwindled away. "Varvara, we women have a place in this world. It might not be much but it is virtuous and respectable. We are meant to grow up as honorable ladies, find a suitable partner for life, and support our husbands with whatever they wish. We manage the household and take care of the children while the men _work._ You are not a man and you are not a child anymore, Varvara, but a young woman of gentility! You cannot live on your own."

"So my life will never belong to me," I concluded emotionlessly.

My mother cupped my face in-between her hands, gentle and somewhat caring. "Do not misunderstand. You cannot live _for_ your own. Please consider our family. Do you wish to shame us in this world and in front of our friends? The neighbors will talk, my dear, so what of Anastasiya? How will your younger sister fare in the future by the consequences of your rash decisions?"

I frowned. She had given me no ground to argue on, but there were misconceptions in her statements - the neighbors were not our friends. They only wished our company to gain our favor and regards and because of how much we were worth. The other girls Mother had forced me to associate with were shallow, egotistical, and ignorant to the other choices of life other than marriage. It was hard to hold a conversation, much less befriend, a closeminded person such as them. Anastasiya, on the other hand, challenged my every move with a rebellious huff. I cared for her in my own way but she made it very difficult to with her ridiculous conception of sibling rivalry.

As much as I wanted to scream and run away from this _cage_ that was slowly suffocating me, I shook my head in dismay. "No, I do not want such things."

"Will you behave tonight?" My mother inquired, "Will you speak no more of your senseless dreams? It is wise not to refuse what life has so clearly endowed you."

My words did not have worth and I refused to speak. The only inclination I gave that I had heard her was a nod of my head. _Why should I waste my words when it fell upon deaf ears? It is clear that no one will listen to my pleas._ The more I became the perfect daughter, the more I died inside, and no one was running to my rescue.

* * *

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2009

My eyes snapped open as I shot upright from the bed. It was morning and the light was seeping through the drawn curtains on the windows. I found myself in an unfamiliar room and panic set in, instantly forgetting the urgency of my past dream. It was only until yesterday's events were recalled in my mind that I plopped back to the bed, taking a deep breath to relax my tense shoulders. _What was I dreaming about?_ I forced myself to remember but the closer I was from reliving it, the dream managed to slip past my fingers. I heard the morning news echo through the hallway and I risked a glance at the alarm clock.

_"Winnie!"_ I yelled in annoyance as I jumped out under the sheets. "Why didn't you wake me up?!"

Laughter rang clear downstairs but I received no response - not that I waited for one. I was grateful that I had taken a shower beforetime last night when Caroline and I drove back home, two pairs of bundled nerves. Slipping on skinny jeans and a forest green tank top, I combed and tied my hair in its usual high ponytail. I opened the small white box that held my colored contacts, sliding them on with ease. My eyes were back to their thick color of green and as much as I liked my original eye color, I knew others wouldn't have the same opinion of them. Remembering how my father implied the most unusual claim, I fought against cringing and straightened my clothes.

Aside from having a small obsession with shoes, eye-catching and unique jewelry was one of my weaknesses. I put on a thin black lace choker and dangling peacock feather earrings before applying a touch of eyeliner and mascara for my almond-shaped eyes. I didn't forget the concealer for the yellowing mark on my cheekbone. That woman really did a number there in New York and I flinched when I applied too much pressure. "Ow." I didn't like putting on lip gloss before eating breakfast since it added unwanted flavor in the food, putting the tiny tube on my pocket for later use.

I put on a maroon studded jacket and matching heeled boots before making my way down to the kitchen. Caroline was checking her makeup in the oval mirror and Winslow was fixing through his bookbag. They exchanged grins when I shot them irritated glares, filling my bowl with cereal and milk. My brother asked, "Did you sleep well?"

"Funny," I muttered.

He continued, "Well if you must know, I _didn't_."

"I don't snore,"

"Never said you did," Winslow corrected me, rubbing the edge of his jaw with a scowl. "You kept turning in your sleep though. I wouldn't have minded but you kept elbowing me in the face. Thanks for the bruises, sis."

"I have no control with my body when I'm unconscious," I shrugged, then sheepishly added when he shot me a dirty look, "and I'm sorry."

"You have a few minutes," Caroline told me as she snapped her blush compartment shut. "Eat fast or I'm gonna leave you."

Ignoring her last comment, I asked her, "Where's Elizabeth?"

"Mom's never here in the morning. She's already at the station, you know, being the sheriff and all." She turned to Winslow, arching an amused eyebrow. "Did you find what you were looking for there?"

"Just fine," he grumbled tiredly, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"What grade are you going to anyways?"

"He's a sophomore," I answered for him. "He's just a year younger than I am."

"Cool. He'll be able to hang out with Elena's younger brother then."

"Jeremy, right?"

She nodded. "I don't think he was there last night."

We both shivered at the reminder of that awful sleepover. I gulped the last of my milk, nearly choking at my hurry, and dashed to the bathroom to clean any evidence of my breakfast from my teeth. One last satisfied look at my reflection, I joined them next to the front door. Caroline glanced at my outfit as we entered her car and gushed, "I totally approve for a first day outfit. You'll have the guys drooling all over you!"

"Uh, no. No drooling guys for Char." Winslow warned lightly from the backseat.

We ignored him and I replied with a tinge of excitement, "Thanks. Yours is cute too! So, are there any cute boys I should know of? Any dibs I should know about? I don't really want to get in a bad start with a girl I barely know about for some guy."

Caroline brightened at the subject. "Oh my gosh. There are a few I can stand to mention."

Us being girls shared a giggle. The more prominent ones she told me about - more so than the rest - were Matt Donovan and Tyler Lockwood, two popular football players, and guy named Stefan Salvatore who was totally taken by Elena. I didn't want to delve into Elena's business so I didn't really ask questions when Caroline hinted about their troubles in paradise. "Anyone you like or dating?"

She paused. "I don't know. Maybe? Yes? Argh!"

"Is it Matt?"

"How'd you know?" She asked in horror, "Am I that obvious?"

"A little. I guess it comes with being your second cousin," I answered simply. I didn't want to mention how bubbly and happy she got as she mentioned him. There was an extra sparkle in her blue eyes, so to speak.

"Hey, remember me? The _guy_ in the backseat? Don't start talking about relationships, _please_!" My brother made a face. "That was ten minutes I'll never get back."

I twisted around in my seat to see Winslow's uncomfortable expression. "Oh don't worry, Winnie. This is a sign of closeness between us three. We can just talk boys with you around."

"Is that a good thing?" Winslow wondered aloud.

Caroline laughed as she got over her surprise. "Not for you it isn't! You'll be friend-zoned _all_ the time!"

_Good_, I thought secretly, _or I'd chase that girl out of her hometown._

As hypocritical as it sounded, I didn't want Winslow dating - _ever_. It had always been the two of us and I became rather selfish when it came to my younger brother's attention. Winslow never had a girlfriend before and I wouldn't be happy if he got one anytime soon, but that would prove to be difficult since Winslow was naturally good-looking with light green eyes and black hair. With his attentive and caring nature, he would be flocked with admirers before the school day was over. Would crushes count as a girlfriend? I didn't think so.

Recalling the incident in New York with a frown, I decided I never wanted _that_ to ever happen again. At least more than one heart was beaten up over it, including my younger brother, and I'd be damned to let that happen again without interfering. _Yep, not again._

We got out of the car as soon as she parked it in the lot. Giving her hair a little flip over the shoulder, Caroline looped her arm with mine. "C'mon, I'll show you guys to the main office. Hopefully we have classes together!" Winslow kept up behind us.

I felt a little exposed walking through the courtyard and past the crowds of absolute strangers. Thankfully only a few paid attention to us before returning whatever it was we distracted them from. The secretary, Mrs. Clarke, was expecting the two new students with an excited look. "Chardonnay and Winslow Blackburn?"

We nodded, receiving the sheet of paper that would decide our luck of the rest of junior year. Our lockers and combinations were scribbled at the a separate piece of paper stapled at the corner. I ripped it out and hid it in my jean pocket. Caroline gasped and snatched my list of classes out of my hands with glee. "This is great, Chardonnay! We have homeroom, History, and - oh, Trig. I hate that class. You have theatre?"

"I'm good with acting," I clarified. _Or lying. _My brother shook his head at me, but didn't say anything.

Mrs. Clarke smiled, leaning over her desk. "Can I ask you two something? I'm just curious."

Winslow and I shared alarmed looks. _Here comes what we've been both dreading._ "Sure," I replied hesitantly.

"Is your mother Beatrice Archer?"

_Yep, that was it._

Before we could answer, Caroline gaped at the name and whirled around with an accusation in her eyes. "Beatrice _Archer_? She's your mother!?"

"I guess." Winslow gave a sharp nod. Our mother was just a sore subject as our father was to us, more so to Winslow than I.

I opened my mouth to explain, a little worried that she would get mad at us for keeping it a secret, but Caroline's next reaction threw me off. "I can't believe it! Oh, the irony! My mom's cousins with Beatrice Archer! _My_ mom of all people and - oh, my God! That means I'm related to her too! She's, like, my second aunt or something!"

"You mean your first cousin once removed," I corrected, smiling slightly.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" She argued with a pout. "I would've totally shoved it in their faces last night! One of America's top models of the nineties is my, er, first cousin . . . removed?"

Shaking my head, I turned back to Mrs. Clarke. She was watching Caroline's outburst with a raised eyebrow. "Why did you ask?"

"Are you kidding?" She straightened on her chair. "Beatrice Archer, class of nineteen ninety-two, is a celebrity around here. She made it big even if she was raised in a small town like Mystic Falls, and that doesn't happen all the time."

"She got lucky," Winslow muttered darkly for my ears only.

I cleared my throat. "You'll be fine Winnie?"

He took a map of the school from the counter as an answer. "I won't get lost if that's what you mean. I'm not directionally challenged like you, Char. I'll see you after."

"Why not at lunch?"

Caroline butted in cheerfully. "Sophomores have different lunchtimes than juniors."

We said our goodbyes, letting Caroline lead me to my locker. I tested the combination and when it unlocked, I slammed it shut and followed Caroline to hers. It was across the hallway from mine and to Caroline's delight, a seventeen year old guy with dirty blond hair and light brown eyes was leaning next to it. "Matt," she breathed, a slight tone of adoration laced in her voice. "Hey."

"Morning Care," Matt and I grinned simultaneously at her reaction. "I thought I should see you before homeroom."

A faint blush spread on her cheeks as she proceeded to get the things she needed. "Well, um, this is Chardonnay Blackburn, my second cousin. Chardonnay, this is Matt."

We shook hands. "Nice to meet you, erm, Chardonnay?"

I laughed at the expression on his face. Sheepishly, he looked as if he had offended me. "I know, my name's not really common. I've been telling Caroline to call me Char for a hundred times, but I figured out she's kind of stubborn."

"Yeah," he agreed, "she is."

"Hey! _She_ is standing right here!"

"Anyways, it's nice to meet you too," I told Matt with a mischievous idea. "I've heard _so much_ about you."

Caroline whipped her head at me with wide eyes. "Char-"

Matt smirked. "Oh really? Good things I hope."

_"Very_ good things actually."

We both laughed when her face reddened. _"Chardonnay!"_

"It's fine, Care." Matt shrugged, "I'm liking your cousin already."

"As long as you keep Caroline happy, I like you too."

Caroline was mortified but eventually calmed down when Matt gave her a sweet kiss while the teachers weren't looking. Yep, they were dating all right. "I'll see you two at lunch," he called over his shoulder as the warning bell rang.

She let out a somewhat dreamy sigh before turning to me. She wasn't as panicked as before but she obviously didn't like being put in her place. "When _you_ get a boyfriend, watch your back." Caroline warned with a hint of a thankful smile.

"Easy," I replied. We walked to Mr. Saltzman's classroom, who I also had for history class later on in the afternoon. "I won't get a boyfriend."

"With your looks? Please." When I didn't respond - recalling my past considerations for my insecurities, she said, "I'll save you a seat beside me. There aren't any assigned seats for homeroom."

I nodded silently and we entered the classroom. In a few desks over, I easily noticed Elena and Bonnie among the sea of faces. When they turned to Caroline and I, I wasn't sure if I should've been pleased or plain worried. They knew how to make a lasting impression, a little cruelly for my taste, but I could've done worse if I had to be honest. The teacher stood at his spot with a stack of papers on his desk. He was a man in his early thirties with light brown hair and dark brown eyes. I ignored the curious stares that went my way as I neared the teacher. "Mr. Saltzman?"

When he looked at me, he froze. He seemed to have forgotten whatever it was he was working on, his attention focused on me alone as his eyes widened in shock. Uncomfortable, I called again, "Erm, Mr. Saltzman? I'm a new student here. My name's Chardonnay Blackburn."

He snapped out of it and took my schedule gently, eyeing the secretary's initials at the bottom for authorization. "Oh, Chardonnay?"

"Er, yeah. My parents have a thing for originality, I guess."

His lips quirked upward. "Right, well, you already know my name - Mr. Saltzman. I see here you're in my history class as well."

"Yep."

"You can take a seat," he told me dismissively.

I immediately went to Caroline's side, a little guilty at my relief when my seat was away from Bonnie's. It felt natural to be comfortable with her, but I didn't really know what to say after all of _that_ - whatever it was. Then again, how would they react if they knew the truth about me? I was starting to understand how Winslow felt when he found out about my affinity with water and air. _Be the better person_, my head scolded me. I had to make a decision if I wanted to patch things up.

Elena glanced up as I approached and offered a shy smile, probably thinking the same thing I was. "Hello."

"Elena, Bonnie."

Bonnie looked up at her name and at seeing me, something flashed in her face. "Char, listen, about last night-"

"It's fine," I told them honestly. "It was a little strange, but whatever."

She shot me a doubtful look. "Really?"

"Yeah, clean start right? Plus, it's my first day. I don't want to be awkward with _everyone_ here," I raised my hand to theirs. "I'm Chardonnay Blackburn though I like to be called Char much better."

Caroline rolled her eyes at me. "Don't expect me to change my mind soon."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Elena and Bonnie share a relieved glance and we repeated our introductions with enthusiasm. We even exchanged phone numbers, something we didn't do during our first encounters. After that, we made an unspoken agreement to not even mention what had happened before - a new slate. I noticed Bonnie was a little jumpier than she was yesterday, eyeing the corners of the classroom when she thought no one was looking. Something was definitely bothering her. When the announcements and roll call were over, we were dismissed for first period.

The whole morning, I was scrutinized from head to toe. Some commented on my voguish clothes, others were curious with my relation to Caroline who happened to be one of the popular girls of the school. A few guys had the nerve to whistle as I passed. Instead of snapping in anger, I gave them flirty winks much to my new friends' amusement. With Caroline as my distant relative and my starting friendships with _the_ Elena Gilbert and Bonnie Bennett, my social status had bumped to the top in a matter of four classes. I couldn't imagine how they would react that my mother was Beatrice Archer, the _it_ model of the nineties. Popularity was never my thing since I was somewhat uncomfortable with attention I didn't welcome. It reminded me of my shyness that I outgrew when I was a kid.

Teachers of mine had spoken to me separately after each class to quench their curiosity for my mother. _How is she doing? Is she well? I saw her latest picture in last month's magazine! Still beautiful as always._ I felt absolutely horrible for lying, but I didn't know what to say to them. They held such high regard for her and I felt angry toward her for making me mislead them. What was I supposed to say? The truth? _Oh, she's just fine. She goes to her job like every other working mom, goes to a private club afterwards, and gets incredibly drunk before the driver has to take her home unconscious. You know, the usual thing for ten years._

Most of them had been her own teachers during her time as a student, promising to tell me more about her high school days whenever they could. I had foolishly agreed, nonetheless secretly intrigued of her past. My mother was some sort of hero here. I couldn't deny that I was impressed with her past influence in the town, but I was also disgusted that she was a false icon of hope for so many people - especially the teenagers who wanted a life out of Mystic Falls. They were admiring a woman who ceased to be the promising and undeniably gorgeous Beatrice Archer they once knew or heard of. _But she's still family_, a small voice argued in the corner of my head.

In all honesty, my abrupt closeness with the second cousin I never knew of until yesterday made me a bit insecure. I had known Guinevere all my life yet fifteen years of girl talk and sisterhood meant nothing when she decided to disappear from my life. I only met Caroline for a day and she managed to gain some of my trust, no matter how competitive an overachiever she was. _She is family after all_, I thought to myself as we walked to the cafeteria. If I was giving my mother the excuse of our relation, it would only be fair to use it on Caroline too.

During lunch, Matt managed to tease his new girlfriend even more though Elena and Bonnie didn't seem to notice the recent update of their relationship. "How cute," I had teased.

History class was more or less okay since Mr. Saltzman kept glancing at me for the whole hour I had to be there. This did not go unnoticed by Caroline but held back the teasing when she caught sight of my glare. There wasn't anything romantic or inappropriate with his stares. Oddly enough, it was more like him trying to remember someone that had slipped from his mind throughout the years. A lost friend, maybe? It was at the end of class when Caroline muttered, "It's like he has a crush on you."

I retorted, "Shut up."

She grinned in reply. "Just saying . . ." Later on, we separated from Elena and Bonnie after school, and I gave Caroline and Matt space as we walked to the parking lot. I was beginning to guess when her friends would discover about them being a couple, especially Matt being Elena's ex. Caroline had obviously shown me that she was jealous of her. How would Elena react to their relationship?

Winslow moved away from his new batch of classmates when he saw us in the middle of the courtyard. "Hello little brother," I held his arm around mine and we followed the happy couple in front of us. "How was your first day?"

"Interesting. The teachers kept talking to me about Mom."

"Me too," I replied softly. After a moment of silence, I asked, "Any girls chasing you yet?"

"Maybe." He smirked.

A frown grew on my face. "Winnie,"

Winslow was amused. "What? You had your share of guys before, didn't you?"

"I'm not easy," I argued.

Truth be told, I never had an actual boyfriend-girlfriend relationship with a guy since that was too serious for me, but I kissed and went on more-than-friendly dates with a few in New York. I mean, who wouldn't? Even then, I kept my promise to Guinevere and refused to go further than first base; possibly second if he was that good. When they tried to take it further than that, I had no problem punching them in the face. Practice makes perfect was what my sister used to say. How would I know who was _the one_ for me when I had no one to compare him to?

_Remember New York. _My frown deepened. _I wouldn't forget _that_ anytime soon._

"Never said you were," he replied with a sigh, repeating the words from this morning. "I was only joking."

"Putting the girls aside, how was it? Being a sophomore?" I asked, curious. If I had to be honest, I _hated_ my sophomore year in our former private school.

"Eh, could've been worse. What about you?"

Despite everything, I shrugged. "Same."

* * *

-Kavarna, Bulgaria-

1489

The feast was held in the Petrova household, a short walk from my home. My mother though was insistent in using the pageant carriage and what Mother wished, it was granted. The carriage was already set outside our home. My younger sister sat beside me with her usual aura of elegance and conceitedness as we waited for my parents. Anastasiya and I met each other's gazes and immediately shot the other glares. Far from what Mother thought, Anastasiya and I were anything but benign with each other.

Even as children, my little sister positively hated me for supposedly stealing Mother and Father's affections just because I was their firstborn daughter. "I am sure you enjoyed your afternoon with Mama?"

I replied warily, "It is not any different . . ." I had nothing against her and still loved her as any girl should love their sister, but I also decided that Anastasiya was not worth humoring with her envy.

"Are you ready?" Mother's voice suddenly asked from the top of the stairs; our parents finally graced us with their presence. Mother had dressed carefully with a beautiful midnight blue gown; her light brown hair was twisted into a wavy bun and her neck was adorned with an eye-catching necklace made of silver and precious stones.

On the other hand, Anastasiya obviously took after our father. He stood tall with his back straight and shoulders wide - a stance intimidating to anyone but his family. Behind closed doors, he truly did care for his girls despite his tendencies to get selfish - to want _more_ than what was given. He absolutely adored Mother and I but regretfully treated Anastasiya like an extra guest, the unplanned addition to the family that was originally three. Father showered her with gifts as well but barely paid attention to her other than that.

We inclined our heads respectfully. "Papa, Mama,"

"Is the carriage ready?"

"Yes, Papa," I answered. I could feel Anastasiya's glare at my back. As firstborn, I had the privilege of speaking on behalf of any siblings younger than I. Unfortunately for Anastasiya, she had to wait to be spoken to and that was not often.

"That is good news," Mother replied. She turned to Anastasiya. "Please behave while we are gone."

_Like dumping my gowns in a pile of mud_, I thought a little sourly, _or stealing pieces of expensive jewelry from my dresser._

"Yes, Mama," Anastasiya nodded too innocently though I knew she was fuming inside. She was not yet of age to attend galas such as this and had to wait yet another two years like every other fourteen year old girl in this society; my younger sister was three years my junior. As usual, she would be left alone with the maidservants once again. I could tell from the look she was giving me that Anastasiya blamed me for this like she did with everything else. Mother pressed a kiss on her forehead before, allowing Father and I to reach the carriage.

Father appraised my gown, judging it's glamor with melancholy eyes. "You have grown, my dear child. I am beginning to regret my promise to you after tonight."

I pushed my panic down and took as much air as I could for a calming breath. "I still wish to stay home with you, Anastasiya, and Mama. I do not want to leave my home yet for a stranger."

"A stranger who will be your husband," he corrected me. "You are not a little girl anymore."

"I know that, Papa."

"Trust that I will choose the best for you."

"You promised." I decided to push my luck and glared a little.

He didn't scold me just like Mother would if she had seen it. Instead he let out a booming laugh. "Ah, you never fail to surprise me Varvara. You continue to hold on to the determined spirit of a true Draganov within you." When I stared at him at a loss for words, Father told me sincerely, "I am proud of you."

My expression softened. "Thank you, Papa."

By this time, Mother left the house. The ride was silent but I preferred it this way. The cooling wind calmed my pounding heart as the Petrova household was in view, a small mansion that belonged to somewhat wealthy merchants. Guests had already arrived with their own carriages parked to the side of the property. A boy attendant opened the door and Father went out first, helping both Mother and I safely to the ground. Older couples who had been married for years turned their interest to my parents. My family, the honorable clan of the Draganovs, were highly respected and admired by the rest of the lords and ladies.

Mother wasted no time to introduce me to various different men, much to my displeasure. Some where comfortably my age but with terrible personalities and others were twice my age, looking for a second wife to care for his other children. All of them lewdly watched my every move and their eyes openly lingered too long at my chest or the curve of my waist. I was saved by my father when he too realized this. He wanted me married with the wealthiest man there was, yes, but because he believed that was the best for me. He would not have those of lesser importance to him to eye one of his prized treasures in life.

Then as quickly as he saved me, he left me with the real predators of the society - the women. I pointedly stayed away from the seething wives who had mistaken it to be _my_ fault for attracting such attention with their husbands and reluctantly made my way to two girls a year or so older than I. Zaharina and Sofiya were already engaged to be married by Kostadin Velitchkova and Timotei Lazarov, two very promising bachelors and sons to distinguished lords. They were beautiful, but a bit clueless. We mingled for a while until I grew bored of their conversation and discreetly made way for the back garden; I had enough talk of marriage.

Mother had visited the Petrova family many times before and sometimes brought me with her as extra company so I knew which hallway to take while avoiding unwanted attention. They were not of noble blood, but they had managed to secure themselves a foothold on our imposing society. I took another struggling breath after I had found the garden, irritated that I couldn't breathe in this poor excuse for a dress. The night air almost soothed me and cooled my irritation. As I was preoccupied with my thoughts, a pretty girl suddenly fell from a tree branch and landed not far from me.

_"Oh!"_ I jumped in surprise and whirled around to make sure if it had informed the party of my disappearance, but as far as I could tell, no one even found the pathway.

The girl rushed to her feet with reddened cheeks. "I apologize!" She blurted out before I could say anything to her. "Papa had told me to stay in my room but I disobeyed him again. Do not tell anyone of my mistake, please!"

I stared at her in disbelief. "Why must I tell anyone?"

"Because you are a lady," she answered simply. "If you were taught in the correct art of etiquette, you would use this to embarrass me and my family. Is that not what ladies do?"

Biting back a laugh, I asked, "Have you been taught with this _art_?"

She shook her head furiously. "Mama does not want me to associate with women such as them." Then she gasped at what she said. "Oh, my! Please forgive me! My words meant no offense to you or your family!"

This maiden was a naïve, compassionate little one. A little rough around the edges, she had this certain charm that made her blunders look rather cute and all too innocent. I raised my hand to her chin, tilting her head to a better angle under the moonlight. She shivered but did not fight me for she already knew she made too many foolish mistakes in front of a _lady_, an action frowned upon all the mothers in our sophisticated town. Her gorgeous curls of mahogany were tied away from her pale oval face that held delicate features of a straight nose, a pair of full lightly pink lips, and wide dark brown eyes. Her lightly tan skin held a translucent glow. I didn't doubt that she would be crowded with suitors once she grew older.

"Do you know who I am?" I asked as I released her chin.

"Should I?"

I felt my lips twitch into a smile. "My name is Varvara Draganov."

Her eyes widened even more, but this time in horror. She must have heard of me or she would not have reacted in such a way. "Draganov? Oh, forgive me! I did not mean to offend a member of the Draganov family! My parents will be so ashamed-"

"Calm yourself," I ordered. She did almost instantly, quivering with trepidation. "I will not tell. You amuse me too much."

Against her better judgement, the girl let out a gasp. "I am to be your doll then?"

"Of course not. I am not cruel."

She was confused. "W-What is it that you want from me?"

"Your future company," I smiled at her confusion. She was just too adorable. "What is your name?"

"Katerina Petrova, my lady."

This girl was a Petrova? That clearly explained the charm. Ignoring the title I was entitled by birth, I took her small trembling hand in mine. As sincerely as I could, I told her, "I hope we shall be great friends in the future, Katerina."

"I . . ." She gawked at me, gathering her thoughts for a moment and I let her. I didn't know what drew me to this little girl. Interest? Boredom? This was the rumored daughter that was protected from the horrors of the world, safe from the influences of money and power.

_Good for her._ She did not need to live through a familiar fate such as mine. I only wished my parents had done the same for me.

"I-It is . . . a pleasure to meet you," Katerina greeted shyly after she made her decision, "Lady Varvara."


	6. Winds That Whisper Lies

_You kind of see the relation with Katerina Petrova [who I do not own] and Varvara Draganov [one of my own made up characters for this fanfiction] in the last update. Katerina is still young and stumbling and totally not the manipulative vampire we see in the series - yet. I'm excited to show the pure side of her before she turned dark and selfish, but sadly I don't plan on writing Varvara's story just yet - even though I_ really_ want to. Unlike Heidi's story, the first part of Varvara's point of view was Chardonnay's dream that she had forgotten about. The second part, not so much. I added it spontaneously and just for fun to not leave Varvara's part hanging with just her and her mother arguing, but I hope you enjoyed it and that it's not revealing too much too soon. More Originals coming right up, with a large side of Tatia of course! Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Six**

**Winds That Whisper Lies**

-The New World-

1024

"You saw him?" Tatia asked in surprise.

I nodded, my heart beating quicker as I recalled past night's events. The four of them had left as soon as it turned dark, but I still remembered Elijah's lingering gaze as he and his siblings disappeared into the night. I noticed how his oak brown eyes warmed as he looked at me. It felt like the smolder in his eyes was for me and me alone. "He is known as Elijah, Tatia. I know what he is called and it is the same for him as well! He knew of my status as a servant and continued to show me such courtesy."

She smiled at my nervousness. We were lying in her garden again, watching the clouds go by. It had been two days since the dinner and three since the feast, and since then, I had been too busy with Yvonne and my chores to leave the house at all. It was only when Magdalene intervened that I was ordered to rest, once again coming to my rescue. "What has you so excited?"

"I am getting attached," I whispered in dismay.

"Heidi, feeling such affection for a man is not a crime."

"But he will leave!" I cried out. "He is all I think about, Tatia! At every free thought, he is in my mind mocking me so. It frightens me to a degree that I am beginning to fear what this will lead to. What will I do? What is my right course of action?"

"You have given this much thought, yes?"

I hid my face at the crook of my elbow, ashamed of what I was sprouting aloud so recklessly. "I have never been so puzzled. He has captured my attention so easily, it frightens me. Should I be embarrassed to act like a lovesick fool? I can only imagine what it will be like when he leaves. What should I do, Tatia?"

"Do not think of such things. As I said, it is not wrong to feel." She let out a sigh, running her fingers through my hair. "We shall go."

"Go where?"

"To Elijah, my poor friend."

"Did you not warn me of him before?" I questioned hesitantly, confused to why she was suddenly so supportive.

She turned her face back to the sky, a nostalgic expression on her beautiful face. "I warned you of love, Heidi - the darkness of it, but I too have the duty to inform you of its light and the unimaginable beauty it holds. If it is not lost or forgotten, it will become the most beautiful thing in the world. Nothing shall ever compare to it."

"Then what is the darkness you speak of?"

"The emotion of love is a risk and that will never change. It had been the downfall of many people in this world. Imagine a beloved of yours, the person you treasure and care for with your whole heart, and have him die a horrid death in front of your eyes. It is a wager with the greatest reward, but also with the most horrible consequence. You are either victorious or you lose the very meaning of life." Tatia frowned, seeking the comfort of my hand and gripping on to it tightly. "I lost, Heidi."

We were quiet for a while, letting Tatia compose herself. She had faced such heartache and yet continued to move on for Charlotte's sake, one of the admirable traits about her. I asked gingerly, "Did you regret any part of it?"

She answered immediately, "Never. If I regret my past, then I would be confessing false penitence on having Lottie. Her father had made me to the girl who is lying next to you today. It had been painful, yet, but I believe it was worth it."

"What had been his name?"

"Jakob," Tatia whispered. "My dear Jakob."

"All that pain," I murmured, still unsure, "and you still believe in such a thing."

"A young girl like yourself with the possibility of finding _it_ then to lose faith in love, what will you be living for?"

We held each other's stare. _What is it that I am living for?_ Surely I did not plan to a servant all my life, but what of after? "I-I do not know." Would I be able to meet another man who held my thoughts captive like Elijah did? Would I be able to own more than the clothes on my back to my name? My heart raced as I realized what I wanted, even if I was aware of what could happen. _This is foolishness_, my conscience argued. _Think of Aunt Sylvia._

_But I have pushed my desires away for too long on her account. I will regret this if I let him slip past my fingers._

A dark feeling of foreboding filled my mind until I shut my eyes tight and focused on the light of love. If she believed then so would I. Tatia didn't need my words when she caught my decision in my eyes. Giggling like little girls, we hopped to our feet and I followed her to the edge of the public square. Then my insecurities appeared again. "Wait!" I gasped.

"What is it?" I took one uneasy glance at the public square and Tatia let out a quiet groan, crossing her arms across her chest. "Do not mind them, Heidi. Do you not want him at your side? If so, let him know you are not deterred of your choice by the simplest glance. Is he not worth standing up for yourself to those who do not deem you worthy?"

"Tatia-" I began. _Do I wish to feed this weakness? Or will I stand past that?_

"Is _he _not worth it?" She repeated seriously.

Blushing at her bluntness, I breathed in deeply and nodded with more determination. She walked back to me and linked our arms together, a gesture of support. With more confidence than I was feeling, I managed to keep a steady pace beside her. No one really bothered us and continued on their way as if we weren't there. As long as I kept attention off my way, I would be fine with going through the public square. "What is this plan of yours?" I asked curiously.

"We are merely taking a stroll. You do not want to appear desperate." Tatia assured me, "This is only to make an appearance - nothing to worry about, Heidi."

"That is not my worry," I told her. "Is my affection for him clear to everyone who so much as glances at my face?"

"No, you need not worry about that. As closest to you, it would be pathetic of me to not read your actions with clarity."

"It is Yvonne, Tatia. I have a right to worry with things involving her. The things she will do-"

Tatia sounded annoyed for once. Her face scrunched up in aggravation and her lips turned to a scowl. Yvonne was clearly not her favorite person, but her fast reaction of distaste to the girl was quite questionable. "Yes, that poor sense of a lady will not notice. She has been distracted by the blond man - the one that came with your Elijah."

_"Tatia!"_ I hissed, pondering on her words. "Do you mean Niklaus?"

"Is that his name?" She asked me wearily.

I blinked at her interested tone. "Oh my. Have you fallen for him?"

"Love takes time. Have I not recently mentioned Jakob?"

"If not love, then deep affection?"

"I find him handsome," she answered vaguely.

Before I could ask any more questions, Tatia nudged me with her hipbone, inclining her head to the left. I followed her gaze to Elijah's younger brother, Henrik. He too was taking a stroll of our public square. It caught my attention every time I stared at him - how his face reminded me of his eldest brother. He had the same dark smoldering eyes and long brown curls, his face structure resembling a mixture between both Elijah and Niklaus. Nevertheless, Henrik was just as handsome. My eyes flickered to away from Henrik and to the makeshift courtyard, filled with empty tables and scraps of garbage. The bonfire that was lit each night had burned the remaining firewood into ashes.

At the corner of my eye, Tatia watched the seventeen year old who rested on a stump, his gaze staying out onto the field. "Such concentration."

"Indeed. He looks to be in great thought," I noted faintly.

Henrik, to my surprise, turned to my voice as if he heard what I had said. _Impossible._ We found ourselves just staring at each other and Tatia noticed my unease. "I find him rather young to be traveling through unknown lands," Tatia told me truthfully.

"How rude," I mumbled, turning back to her. "He is not a child, but a young man. Who is to know? He has seen things we cannot imagine."

"Maybe so. Come, let us greet him."

My eyes widened. "Pardon?"

She pulled me along and I struggled to separate myself from her. For a woman past twenty years, she was incredibly strong and kept my elbow in a locked hold. "He is his sibling, correct? He may be able to shed light on our situation."

"I do not want to cause trouble for Henrik. Tatia!" I pouted as she sent me a silencing look. "Do you wish to send word to _everyone_ in the village of my affections?"

"Heavens, no, but do you not wish to make progress? Who knows how long they will stay here,"

I did not fight after that. I did not even want to think of them leaving. Henrik smiled at us as we approached. He was younger than both of us, but he held himself differently than we ever could. I suppose it had to do with his prestige. "Good afternoon to you, Heidi."

My cheeks reddened. He remembered me. "To you as well."

He looked at Tatia with an unreadable expression. He seemed somewhat sad at the sight of her, knowing something we didn't. "I believe I have yet the pleasure to meet you. I am Henrik, the youngest of the four."

"Tatia," my friend replied smoothly. "Do you have knowledge of where Yvonne may be?"

I glanced at her, hiding my confusion. Henrik was silent briefly. "Do you speak of the girl who hangs onto my second brother?"

"Yes, she is who I seek."

"It would be no trouble to lead you there. We had taken space with the elders, Haldor and Lilly."

I could have sighed with relief. Aside from my family, Tatia, and Yvonne's parents, they too did not seem to be offended by my mere presence. They were the older ones of our village with the experience just to match. Thankfully, they were not caught up with appearances and lived for the truth in people which I appreciated greatly. I had the honor of meeting them once in a while and they had always been there to offer reassurance or to lend an ear. Not wishing to impose, I only dropped by at my lowest of lows. It was somewhat embarrassing to appear out of selfishness, but this did remind me that it was time for another visit.

We both waited for Tatia to answer and she nodded, offering him a smile. "We thank you for your kindness in assisting us."

"What man of integrity will I be to ignore two women in need?"

Tatia raised an eyebrow at his reply. "Charming, you are."

We made our way to the outskirts of the village for Haldor and Lilly lived the farthest away from the public square and everyone else. They liked their privacy and time apart from prying eyes since they had no children of their own. Tatia and I stopped for a while to gather flowers as welcoming gifts with Henrik watching from the side; he had been patient enough to agree to our idea. I let out a laugh when Tatia blew fallen petals over my face, careful not to inhale dust and pollen. With a grin, I retaliated by throwing the excess flowers - stems and all - from my handcrafted bouquet. We enjoyed the short period of silence, letting the sunlight wash over us, before continuing our way.

Much to my absolute surprise, Henrik tucked a breathtaking white flower over my ear. His chilling fingers lingered against my cheek a second too long, causing flutters in my heartbeat. "A lovely flower for a lovely maiden."

_Henrik?_

In a trembling voice, I murmured shyly, "I-I have never seen such a flower before in these lands, b-but they seem so familiar."

"I had saved a few from my travels. They are from the lands you know as the old world. You must have noticed them as a child." He explained, "They are called white lilies. They signify purity and innocence which is fitting for a woman such as yourself."

Blushing, I stared at him wide-eyed and hurriedly stuttered out a thank you for his sweet gesture. Tatia, on the other hand, seemed tense at his action and pulled me back on the pathway. "Let us hurry, shall we?"

I heard him chuckle behind us as Haldor's house appeared in our view. It was smaller than Magdalene's abode but big enough for more than five people with a small meadow as their back garden. Henrik knocked on the door before entering with asserted confidence. I remembered that Haldor and Lilly had no servants at hand. Upon walking in, we heard light giggling down the hallway. Not wanting to hear anything that weren't meant for my ears, I stayed behind as my two companions delved further into the dinning hall. Tatia shot me a meaningful look as if to say, _do not waste this opportunity_.

Shooting her a small glare, I panicked. I did not know what to do, much less try and find Elijah in another's home. _What does she wish me to accomplish here? Elijah is nowhere to be found._ I paced around the front room for who knew how long, puzzled. Where were Haldor and Lilly?

"Heidi?"

Startled, I whirled around to the placid voice. It was not Elijah but his sister, Rebekah. "Hello," I greeted cautiously, "I did not mean to intrude."

She smiled tinily as if me being here was of no offense, but her baby blue eyes shone with . . . anticipation? "No, you did no such thing. You are welcomed here, are you not?"

"By Lilly, yes. Where had she gone today?"

"Resting," Rebekah answered. "She's rather tired all the time."

"It comes with the age," I mumbled self-consciously. "And what of Haldor?"

"Hunting."

My earlier confidence faded in her presence. Rebekah was one of the fairest girls I had ever met, topping Tatia and Yvonne altogether in beauty. Her blond waves cascaded down her shoulders, reaching all the way to her back, with her posture refined and straight. Her lacey, corset dress was medium blue that perfectly fitted her shapely figure, and a beautiful silver necklace rested against the middle of her full chest. "They have went through a lot through their years. I feel guilty for not visiting sooner."

"She is a considerate lady during my stay here. I have no doubt that she or Haldor will understand." She took a seat in front of me and crossed her legs, the skirt edging up to her slim calves. Her light blue eyes studied me quickly before she said, "I cannot help but feel that you had not visited only for their behalf. Why did you come here, Heidi?"

"Rebekah," I started, shy. My face heated in exasperation. _Does she know? Does _everyone _know?_ "Would you be offended if I cannot answer that at the moment? I am trying to piece my thoughts together myself."

"I had thought you already knew what you wanted,"

"How do you know such things?" I was more intrigued than concerned.

Rebekah lifted her shoulders for a delicate shrug. "Woman's intuition?"

"It is more than that. I sense it."

"Perhaps."

I fiddled with the sleeve of my plain ash gray dress. "I only wish circumstances to be as kind,"

"You depend heavily on chance, Heidi, and that is not sapient of you. Lead matters with your own hands, not to the force called _fate_."

With a frown, I inquired, "You know of my decision, do you not?"

The blond beauty met my stare evenly. She inclined her head ever slowly and eyed the white lily perched on my ear as Henrik returned, advising me, "And _I_ can only hope for you to make the right choice. Do not hurt him."

"I would not if it was in my power not to," I blurted out without thinking.

Rebekah had confessed something unnatural to me - confided in me in a private manner. But why had she opened up to me as if we had not meant only once before? Was there anything else they were hiding behind their poise? I was a little happy that she did not shun me for my abnormality. She didn't cower at my gaze but met it with a cool face. "Klaus must indeed be blessed to have captured such eyes," Henrik commented nonchalantly.

"Klaus?" I echoed.

"Tis a nickname for our elder brother," Rebekah explained. Her younger brother offered her a golden chalice which she silently accepted. He turned to give me one and I immediately shook my head for I had not tasted beer or wine before. "He does not favor his name."

"Tatia is rather beautiful, is she not? Yvonne will not be pleased." Henrik pointed aloud.

I swallowed at her name but agreed. "No she will not."

"Do you fear her?"

"It is her temper that should be carefully watched," I remarked before blushing, trying to hide my mortification at my blurt out.

Henrik grinned rather obnoxiously. "I wager she could not compare to Rebekah in rage and vengeance."

Rebekah glared at him. "Do not try and test me now, little brother."

"See?"

A strangled giggle left my lips. They were rather humorous in private - completely different than how they would act in public. It was their way to be reserved, it seemed. They were about to say something else when Niklaus graced us with his presence, handsome as ever. His languid yet mesmerizing gaze slid to my direction. "Oh, you are Yvonne's servant, correct?"

Forcing back embarrassment, I nodded. "Yes."

"You may leave. Inform Magdalene of her daughter's whereabouts. She will be staying here for the night, so will Tatia," he said casually, his tone surprisingly curious.

My mouth hung open in shock. I did not expect any less of Yvonne and I wondered how Magdalene would respond, but Tatia? _What is she planning? _The amusement danced in his eyes as he took in my astonishment hungrily. "P-Pardon? S-She cannot stay-"

"Are you not Yvonne's servant, love?" He repeated with a smirk. "You cannot argue against your own mistress."

"I meant of Tatia, not Yvonne!" I cried out, uncharacteristically angry. "I-If I fear for her wellbeing, I have every right to question you!"

His eyes darkened considerably with a glint of sadistic glee. "Is that your way of declaring that you fear me?"

"Nik," Rebekah warned, tense at her seat.

Her brother didn't acknowledge her words and Henrik seemed to have disappeared from the lounge, leaving no one to hear my panicked pleas. _The audacity of this man_, I thought with a frown. "I will not leave without Tatia."

"She is staying here."

"Then I will try and convince her out of this act of idiocy."

Before I could move, however, he instantly moved in front of me with a speed far too fast to be human, but I didn't catch it due to my outrage. "I am afraid you have overused you welcome here, Heidi. Leave while you can."

"This is not your house!" I argued, glancing at Rebekah with a silent plea. She pointedly avoided my gaze, but glared vehemently at Niklaus.

"No, I am not. I am but a guest in Haldor's humble abode. You are the nuisance here, love. I am afraid you have no choice on the matter anymore."

"What is it that you plan to do with her?"

There was a nasty look on Niklaus' face and I instantly feared for Tatia's safety. Who really were these people? If I existed, what else was lurking in the shadows of the world? There had always been something _off_ about them. He took a threatening step forward and I stumbled backwards into a table, knocking Henrik's chalice to the floor. Smooth red liquid spilt on the floor and seeped into the edges of my skirt, the white lily slowly dropping into the puddle. It didn't look like red wine as it stained its soft petals.

"Leave," Niklaus warned, "with your dignity or you will be _shoved_ out."

_How dare he! _My anger surged to new heights and I didn't notice Rebekah's wide-eyed stare or Niklaus' growing smirk. My eyes strangely burned as I was furious, seeing red in my anger. What had he done to Tatia?

She was not a woman who was easily persuaded to share a bed with a stranger such as Niklaus; her growing attraction for the blond was not enough for such a thing either. He had done something to her . . . I _felt_ it . . . and I wanted to know what it was. Intense warmth channeled through my veins once more, almost a familiar feeling of fire, and any flames that were close enough to be influenced by my power flared dangerously high. Their orangey-red hue turned icy blue and the temperature in the room rose to an uncomfortable incandescence.

Despite the cause of such occurence, I did not take note until later when the fireplace blackened from the focused heat. I stared in horror as lined candles melted easily into small pools of liquid wax, dripping over stone and wood. Opening my mouth to speak, I found myself choking on my own spit. _What is this?_

Niklaus' smile was wiped clean of his lips when he abruptly staggered forward. Any confidence he had before was surely gone now, but I could see the hint of triumph in his blue eyes. His skin began to turn ashen gray and blackened veins slowly sprouted against the paleness of his neck and face. It was the face of a monster, a demon, or an inhuman creature. I did not know the title to what he was, but I was frozen at what I witnessed firsthand and at what I was doing. Strangely enough, I did not fight my need for light revenge.

He was gasping for breath and clutched the area where his heart was supposed to beat. Even if Niklaus appeared to be resisting whatever this was, it looked painful to endure. _Good_, a dark whisper told me, _this should teach him who he is threatening. Who he mocks so carelessly._

I paused at my thoughts. _Who had he been threatening? Who am I?_ This could not be simple witchcraft.

"What are you?" I growled, my voice amplified with power. "_What_ are you?"

He could not form the words to come out of his mouth. _Who is threatening who now?_ that same dark voice asked.

"Klaus!" A familiar voice yelled.

I glanced behind his crouched figure to see Henrik with a familiar dark-haired man behind him. _Elijah_. At the sight of his reaction, I realized the true horror of what I was causing.

This was not me - it could not be for I was taught better, to be raised against inflicting pain. I strongly believed it was my own monster, the one that dwelled within my subconsciousness that was controlling my body, my actions, my thoughts . . . but it was not _me_. This was the abhorrence of losing control that I had carefully learned, and I felt immediately ashamed. It was happening right at that moment without anything to break me away from acting on this horrific act. The power of that idea alone was rapturous.

"Enough, Heidi!" Rebekah yelled. Elijah's horrified expression was the last thing I saw when I was knocked back by Rebekah with incredible strength. Curtly bashing my head on the wall, I had no choice but to drift into the seas of unconsciousness.

* * *

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2009

_Mystic Falls is definitely something else. . . . _It had only been our third day in Mystic Falls when Elizabeth was up to her knees with work at the police station. Just when Winslow and I were starting to settle in with Caroline and with high school, people had started to go missing and later found dead throughout the town. Much to my brother's disapproval, I had found the coincidence of it just plain amusing.

I remembered Elizabeth's words about Caroline planning a welcoming party in my honor, and I had suggested to my second cousin to hold it on Friday night. Caroline and I were not blind of our two friends who were constantly on edge - we would've been stupid to. Elizabeth had disagreed instantly, and didn't give us permission until Caroline butted in, telling her that it would take our minds off the animal attacks. They had been gradually increasing in number and it was inevitable that everyone became worried.

When Elizabeth _finally_ yielded, Elena, Bonnie, and I had spent an hour or so for the next three days helping Caroline prep the house for the party. We gradually bonded over those days and became somewhat close after a short time, though not as close as Caroline and I became - since our personalities complimented each other's nicely. It also helped that we spent most of our days in each other's company, either at home with Winslow or at school with Matt and the girls.

The prep days filled our heads with work, the perfect distraction to whatever was going on out there. To be truthful, I was just happy I made the right choice in cleaning the slate clean with Elena and Bonnie, aware that there was something about the dark-skinned girl - something _above_ what was natural. I could tell that Bonnie knew it too, but I gave her space, biting back questions relating to her being a witch; she seemed just as lost as I was. And honestly, Friday couldn't have came at a better time.

We all dressed up in some of my New York clothes - or at least the ones that could fit them. Jewelry and shoes weren't really a problem for them to borrow, and I trusted the girls to return them afterwards. Some of my mini dresses had been too short for them and ended up appearing more like tight, long tank tops; it was hilarious to witness as they wobbled around in ridiculously tall high heels and provocative clothes. It was also the best time to take a lot of pictures during the party, freezing the moments into the memory card for Caroline's future scrapbook projects.

I had met a mixture of juniors and sophomores that night, even a few daring freshmen who crashed the party. Jeremy and I were finally introduced, and we talked a bit until Caroline had wanted to talk to the other girls in our classes. If I recalled further back, I had even flirted with Tyler Lockwood for a while._ Very, very hot_, I complimented in my head appreciatively.

It was there when I ran into the infamous Stefan Salvatore . . . and all his moody appeal. I bumped into him in the hallway and had to crane my neck to meet his alluring gaze. He towered over my short height a good foot - impressively. With deep-set forest green eyes and dark brown spiked hair, he was incredibly good-looking, and totally hung over Elena Gilbert. He was extremely polite and careful with choosing his next words, his attention always flying somewhere else to my annoyance.

He had been acting like Elena and Bonnie with their shares of slight paranoia. As irritating as that was, we still parted in good terms until we had decided to shake hands as courteous goodbyes. A dark feeling of death flashed through my fingertips, crawling into my arm and past the muscles deep within my chest. A sharp, piercing pain erupted around my body - targeting mostly around the areas of my heart, and I quickly took my hand back, immediately making up a lie that I needed a drink. Thankfully, the party ended without another hitch and I had chose to forget about what happened with Stefan.

Then our first ever weekend in Mystic Falls was spent for family time - which meant Caroline, Winslow, and I pinned to the living room. Elizabeth was still getting stressed over the animal attacks and stayed far from home than usual. We spent hours lounging around and watching romantic comedies and action movies. There was also our ceremonial wrestle for the telephone as we fought for either Chinese takeout or an extra-large pizza with buffalo chicken wings for dinner. No one had felt like cooking because no one really knew how to except for Winslow, and he was feeling rather lazy. Caroline had just watched from the couch, finishing her manicure and laughing her head off at our childish antics.

The rest of the week went by smoothly. _Thank God for that_, I thought in my head.

Thursday afternoon during lunch, I sat with Caroline and Matt as I did everyday. It was official to everyone in school that they were an item now and their public displays of affection were just that - _very_ public. I wasn't there when Caroline informed Elena and Bonnie, but she had told me later on that Elena was truly happy for both of them; it eased some tension between the two girls. Speaking of Elena, she had been absent today despite Jeremy's attendance, but Caroline shrugged it off, saying the girl needed to break the rules once in a while.

I had only finished half my ham and cheese sandwich when Bonnie marched over our table, taking a sudden and tight hold on my wrist. There was panic and worry in her face as she ignored the looks she was getting from the happy couple. "Can I talk to you? Like right now," she added when she caught my longing stare on my sandwich.

Caroline frowned. "What's the problem?"

"Nothing," Bonnie snapped. She saw Caroline's hurt expression and Matt's small glare and immediately apologized. "I'm so sorry, Caroline. I'm just stressed over stuff - call it hormones or whatever."

A little miffed, she gave her a stiff nod before returning to her food, discreetly licking her wounds. Matt wrapped an arm around her, faintly blushing when I raised an eyebrow at him. Jeez, I really loved to tease. "When are you coming home, Chardonnay?"

"I'll give her a ride home," Bonnie answered for me.

Caroline shot her an incredulous glare. "Excuse me?"

"It's fine." When I stood up, I barely had enough time to get my bag and pick up my tray to throw in the garbage bin. I nearly tripped twice on my strapped sandals on our way outside of the school building and into her car. Her rush was a bit puzzling. Even if Bonnie was considered my friend, all we really talked about were school and boys . . . _some_ boys. "Okay, what's up with the yanking?"

"It's my powers."

I blinked slowly. "Uh, come again?"

She shot me a look as she drove her car into the highway. "I'm a witch, remember?"

"No, actually I'm really confused about that part," I told her with a mocking tone. "You never really clarified-"

"I'm a witch."

With lips pursed, I asked, "So . . . what about your powers?"

Hearing the lingering doubt in her voice, she said, "They're gone, Char. It may sound weird, but I really am one." She then explained what had happened with the sleepover - the truth than the blank spaces they had given me. An ancestor of hers, Emily Bennett, had possessed her body and she somehow destroyed the old-fashioned necklace we once thought was haunted.

It took my a while to realize we were already in front of her house with her car turned off, and she was waiting for some shocked reaction from me, expecting the worse. "I never did like that necklace," was all I said.

Bonnie let out a laugh. "That's it?"

I shrugged unsurely. What else did she want me to say? More importantly, _why_ was she telling _me_ this - me of all the people she knew? "Why was she set on destroying it?"

"That I don't really know," she grimly admitted, "I have an idea it was some sort of key. I don't know what though."

"Treasure?"

"Char, please be serious right now."

"Well, I believe you," I heard myself answering honestly. "And if you don't mind answering, what happened this morning? Cause, well, you didn't explain that part either . . ." I merely grinned when she shot me a scowl.

Her hands tightened around the steering wheel, her eyes narrowing in agitation. "I don't know. Stefan came to school to find me because Elena's missing-"

"Elena's missing?" I repeated in shock.

"Let me finish, Char." She told me impatiently. I rolled my eyes. She should've already known I wasn't the most patient person in Mystic Falls. "I tried looking for her with a simple tracking spell, but my powers aren't working."

"Why did you go to me? I'm not a witch." _That I know of._

Bonnie thought for a moment. "When we met I had a good feeling about you. Call it witch instinct. I have no idea."

"That's nice," I commented nonchalantly. When I caught another of her looks, I kicked my sarcasm down a notch or two. "As honored as I am, you should know beforehand I'm a handful to deal with."

"Huh. I already guessed that much," she managed to tease.

"I'm moody almost all the time-"

"That's obvious,"

"-sarcastic when I'm pissed-"

"I can handle sarcasm,"

"-and I have trust issues."

She shrugged her shoulders delicately. "I don't know why - ugh, I feel like I'm repeating myself with those words. It's hard to explain. . . . I just trust you though I never said for you to do the same."

"Then . . . you should know that I feel like I can trust you too." Feeling her curious stare, I broke the seal of my water bottle and concentrated like I did every time. A familiar rush ran through my body, electrifying my nerves. The liquid began to rise up from the container into crystal clear swirls that twisted and turned with ease and maneuverability. Reflections ran through it, letting it glisten under the sunlight in a flood of striking sparkles. Bonnie's jaw was a little slack, but she nodded understandingly.

"That's was a better trick than I had in mind," she joked, nervously clearing her throat. "You're not a witch, that's for sure. I would've felt a familiar vibe so that either means you're something else entirely but strangely similar."

"If it makes you feel any better, I have no clue either," I confessed. When Bonnie got out of the car, I scrambled out after her like a lost puppy, excited. She was the first person I ever told since I confided in Winslow at a very young age. We never really talked much about my abilities and grew up with them like they were just magic tricks I could only do, nothing more. "Who knows aside from me and Elena, possibly Caroline?"

"My grandmother," she answered as she unlocked the front door. A quick flicker of emotion flashed on her face before it was gone. "What about you?"

"Only Winslow."

"You guys close?"

"What do you think?" I grinned.

She smiled sympathetically. "Anyways, my grandmother has books about a lot of this witchy voodoo stuff. Maybe you'll find something about yourself in one of them."

"That'd be great," I murmured, taking a real good look of her home.

It was cozy with its own style and personality, clashes of colors and rows of unscented candles lying around. Her grandmother had shelves stocked of containers filled with the strangest things and books amazingly thicker than our school textbooks. Sipping on tea Bonnie had brewed, we made ourselves comfortable on the couch. My stomach grumbled, but I was too caught up in trying to find something that could define what I was. The tea helped my nerves though; Bonnie claimed it was her grandmother's recipe - a cliché witches' brew, but it instantly soothed my nervousness to the minimum.

An hour later, I discovered ziltch - _zero_! A few of dusty editions had been written in foreign languages I didn't bother to decipher since my head started to ache - not that I _could_ decipher them anyways. I was horrible with languages compared to my two other siblings, who both spoke beginners' Italian and German. As I stretched, Bonnie's phone abruptly rang and she quickly answered it. "Stefan?"

I turned to her curiously but she dashed deeper into the household. Weary, I understood that she would tell me when she was ready and stayed where I was. When she returned, she looked so relieved. "Elena wasn't missing. She was just with someone else."

"Missing school with someone? Who?" I giggled, "Was it a guy?"

She seemed uncomfortable. I would've thought she lied but she didn't. "It was Damon."

I frowned. "Damon? You mean, Caroline's ex, Damon?"

"It's nothing like that, I swear."

"Are you sure? I mean, Caroline is dating Elena's ex and Elena doesn't know what side she's on with Stefan."

"I know her, Char," Bonnie assured me firmly. She seemed to have a strong faith for her closest friends, Elena and somewhat Caroline in particular. I quietly respected that about her since I only noticed a few people with that similar trait of loyalty; it was honestly hard to come by these days. "She wouldn't try to get back at Caroline and besides, no matter what side she's _on_ with Stefan, it'll always be him for Elena."

"If you're sure," I sighed tiredly. "Don't expect me to tell Caroline though."

"Well, I was actually hoping you wouldn't," she plopped back to her seat. "Find anything yet?"

"Nope,"

". . . I don't think you'll be looking for your answers there."

We both jumped at the third voice, twisting around to find an elderly lady in her late sixties standing in the doorway. _Bonnie's grandmother_, I guessed. Bonnie had inherited her sharp facial features and her curls, though her grandmother's was in a much lighter shade. There was a sense of authority as I scrutinized her carefully.

Her eyes narrowed at me with suspicion before a smile graced her lips, a flash of recognition crossing her angular face. "Oh, and are you one of Bonnie's friends?"

"Yes, good afternoon." I stood up and wiped my hands free of dust before shaking her hand. Another jolt of welcoming heat spread through my body, a bit hotter than Bonnie's touch at the significance of her strength and power. When I tried to move away, her hold only tightened. "You're a witch," I declared aloud, not sure how else to react.

She chuckled in amusement. "Of course. Who would you think would have these kinds of things in her home?"

I let out a sheepish laugh. "Right. I'm Chardonnay Blackburn, Caroline's second cousin."

"Sheila Bennett. A pleasure, Chardonnay." Her attention returned to her granddaughter. "I know what you're looking for, Bonnie, and you won't find it in these books."

Bonnie became frustrated. "Then what? Where?"

"Not here. This is your own battle to go through. You will not need Chardonnay by your side for this. Come." She led Bonnie into the other room and I dropped back to my seat, inhaling a lungful of incense and perfume. I didn't have to wait long, it appeared. Not five minutes later, Bonnie walked to the front door.

Guarded, I asked after her, "Bonnie . . ?"

She turned to me apologetically. "I'll be right back. Stay here and I'll give you the ride home, I promise."

I nodded silently, wondering what I put myself in; I remained a bit intimidated when her grandmother came back. Sheila took Bonnie's spot, inspecting me with her elderly eyes. "You are very curious, Chardonnay, with things you cannot explain. I can sense your confusion and bitterness in your life."

"That's not creepy at all. . . . But I _have_ been alone for a long time about this specific, erm, _thing._ It's hard not being sour about it." I answered simply.

"In my opinion, I don't think the problem is finding the answers to your questions. I think you're worried if you're ready to accept whatever it is that you find about yourself."

Raising the cup to my lips, I took a few wary sips. It helpfully forced back the chills from my stomach, but I was still uncomfortable. Sheila was reading me like a book - as if my soul was right in front of her to study, and that made me feel . . . _bare_. "You . . . You seem to know what I am."

She shook her head. "Not necessarily."

"Are you going to tell me?"

"Do you want the answer?"

"Yes," I breathed, half-lying.

Sheila smirked. "You may be the good liar, but you cannot lie to a witch with instinct such as mine."

"Fine." I leaned into the sofa, my eyes on the floor. "I don't really know what to do right now. I thought I would've known when I came across whatever it is that would help me, but I didn't imagine it this soon. Argh - I didn't know of witches until last week!"

"You're acting as if you're running out of time," Sheila questioned, "Why are you in such a rush?"

Burying my legs underneath me, I answered, "The faster I deal with this, the faster I can - I don't know - get over it or something. Move on with my life. I need some sort of release from my powers. I don't even know why I have them in the first place. My family may be messed up, but they're not supernatural material at all."

"Chardonnay, you have to accept that this is a part of you and it _always_ will be there. You cannot learn the facts about your origin to only learn how to _turn it off_. It does not work that way for any supernatural creature."

I was about to argue when I caught something interesting with her statement. "What do you mean _any supernatural creature_? What else is there?"

A troubled looked passed her face and she got up. I waited as patiently as I could, tapping my fingers against my thigh until Sheila returned with a piece of jewelry. "I take it you like chokers," she observed, looking at my covered neck. "Never put this off, Chardonnay. That will be my only condition with giving this to you."

Cautious, I slipped off the golden necklace and dropped it into my bag before letting my eyes settle on a beautiful silver choker with rims of gold and bronze. The pendant was carved into a beautiful flower with intricate designs, hints of lavender glittering against the metal. "You're giving me this?" I questioned, my tone shocked. Never had I seen anything like it; it was unique and one-of-a-kind. "It must have cost a fortune. Y-You should give it to Bonnie!"

"It does not belong to Bonnie or I."

"It doesn't belong to _me_!"

She only smiled at my agitation. "Take it or I will force you to take it. You should never underestimate a witch, no matter how old they are."

My lips twitched upward as a heartwarming feeling filled my heart. I was still shy about accepting it. "Oh, er . . . I-I don't know what to say. I mean, no woman has given me jewelry before."

"What about your mother?"

I confessed reluctantly, "No, she never did actually."

"Then consider this yours. It'd be an honor." She had grumbled the last part to herself, but I couldn't help the arching of my eyebrow. What did she mean by that? Sheila gestured for me to turn around and I did so, lifting my hair so she could lock it in place.

Letting my hair fall back, I twisted in my seat and my thumb brushed over the ginger, thin engravings. I felt my skin spark when it touched the pendant; something in my head was tugging at me to remember. _Remember what? _My mind was suddenly searching for . . . _For what?_ A memory? A thing? A person? _A name_, a voice whispered in my head.

_Who's name? _When the voice didn't answer, I scowled. I couldn't exactly call on it in my head, could I?

My frustrations showed on my face and Sheila seemed to comprehend why without asking. She merely placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "It will come to you eventually and I will still be here when you're ready. You're always welcomed here, Chardonnay."

"Thank you," I told her genuinely, a little worried. Were voices a natural part of who I supposedly was?

"You're welcome," Sheila sat back down. "I sense that you and Bonnie will be great friends. Hang on to her. She will need you soon."

I nodded blankly, distracted, but keeping true to my word. "I'll watch over her . . ." Then I froze, amazed at myself. What shocked me wasn't because I replied so quickly, but because a tone of determination had colored my voice without me knowing. I figured out that afternoon I really did care about her granddaughter.


	7. Unveiled And Stupefied

_I am not sure how people like my OCs [Chardonnay (sarcastic and playful), Heidi (gentle and shy), and Varvara (determined and independent)] or what their opinion is of them so if you ever have time, please review/comment! I would_ greatly_ appreciate it. I would like to say, THANKS FOR READING THIS FAR! Temporary fluff between Chardonnay and a particular character that my friend is a major fan of [reasons I don't even share]. Stuff happens, the usual. No originals or Heidi in this story - sorry. It's completely Chardonnay's territory for this update. Enjoy it, read it, and review if you can!_ -Lady Shiri

**Chapter Seven**

**Unveiled And Stupefied**

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2009

Imagine my surprise when I saw Stefan in our homeroom the next morning. He was sitting with Elena and the two looked very happy to be together. Troubles in paradise no longer existed. Bonnie and I shared a look. Mine read, _yes, I guess you were right about Elena and Stefan_.

Hers replied, _I told you so._

Bonnie and I had bonded yet again before she drove me home yesterday. Elizabeth hadn't arrived so I was free from thinking up a lie, but we were sure Elizabeth would've gotten a call about me skipping. We had made a cover story, claiming that Bonnie fell ill during lunchtime and as her friend, I drove her home in Bonnie's car before Sheila gave me a lift to mine. Bonnie's grandmother thankfully had no problem supporting the story . . . but then there was that little detail about me never receiving my driver's license before - not even in New York since I was appointed with a chauffeur.

But it was worth it when Bonnie gained her magic back and had showed me a real demonstration of her powers when she returned. She had told me about the necklace being the key to a secret chamber near to where Emily had destroyed it, telling also of the agonized whispers on the other side of the wall. I was somewhat intrigued and worried, but Bonnie had been confident whatever things that were inside the tomb would never get out since the crystal from the necklace was long gone. Once the drama was over, Sheila had brewed more tea with sandwiches that Bonnie and I helped out with. She was able to teach us a few little tricks with our powers before I had to leave.

Winslow and Caroline had gotten worried through the texts they had sent me, only relaxing the moment I came back home. I cringed at the lectures they threw at me, but it left a grin on my face. It was nice to have a small family that cared and I was excited about visiting the Bennetts again. _Hopefully soon . . ._

"Elena, good morning," I greeted. As I grew more comfortable with the group, I sat between my second cousin and my supernatural friend. Elena took the seat in front of me with Stefan at her right. I busied my hands to avoid shaking his hands again when Stefan turned to me. The piercing pain had overwhelmed me once and I wasn't excited to go through that again, even if Stefan meant no harm.

"I saw you at the party last Friday. Char, right?"

I nodded. "Yep, and you're Stefan Salvatore - Elena's inamorato."

Stefan and Bonnie smiled at my choice of word. "I would like to think so," Stefan replied.

"Good," I mumbled tiredly, "I don't really feel like hunting down one more ex."

He raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. Trying to act natural, Elena casually pulled out a small box and I was the first to peek inside. "Ooh, is that jewelry?" Caroline gushed.

There were several rings and necklaces there with the same designs of lavender and silver; they coincidentally matched the choker Sheila gave me. She and Bonnie were the only ones who had seen it on me since it easily became my most prized possession. I felt safe wearing it around my neck, but it also intensified my dreams and the voices in my head. Frustratingly enough, I would always forget what I had dreamt of the moment I woke up. My poor younger brother got tired of getting elbowed in the face while I slept and sought refuge on the sofabed in the downstairs living room. Each and every morning as punishment - as if it were routine, I apologized, sometimes half-heartedly.

"Oh, my gosh! This is so pretty." Caroline leaned over and took a long necklace out. It was sterling silver with an oval pendant and when she slipped it on, it reached to the bottom of her bellybutton. "What are these for?"

"They're only gifts," she answered modestly.

"You think this will go with everything?" My second cousin asked me.

I eyed it carefully and nodded. "Looks chic, Caroline."

"I know! Thank you, Elena!"

She returned Caroline's enthusiasm with a mild blush and Bonnie was next to pick. "What's the occasion? What did you do? This feels like a bribe . . ."

Shrugging, Elena let out a light laugh. "Let me spoil you for today. C'mon, Bonnie, humor me."

She took out a smooth silver bracelet that she slipped on her thin wrist. When Elena expected me to fight back, I surprised her by silenting picking up a ring that matched my choker. It was lavender blue shaped into slender thorns. This was the second jewelry piece I was gifted with, just a day after receiving my choker. Bonnie and I said our thanks with me adding, "These are kind of like friendship rings, only more spread out."

Caroline smiled at my comparison. "Totally, what brought all this on?"

She shrugged. "I just felt like it. If you don't want it, I could always take them back-"

_"No!"_ Caroline and I moved our jeweled limbs a little away from her, completely in sinc. Bonnie and Stefan watched in amusement, the serious pair of the group. "We like this side of you,"

I added dramatically, "Yep. We _love_ it so much - no more questioning Elena."

"Right, no more questions."

Elena smirked, obviously pleased with herself before handing me another ring. "This is for Winslow."

The words slipped my mouth before I could stop them. "You're really getting out, huh?"

"Char, do you like your ring?"

Obedient, I took it from her palm. "I'll give it to him right after school." The group snickered at that display and turned in their seats when Mr. Saltzman started roll call.

Everyone was brimming with excitement for the nineteen fifties dance. As fun as it sounded to show some moves on the dance floor, I was more excited dressing up with the rest of the school. I could tell that every other girl was feeling the same. Dress up, after all, had been my favorite game as a child. Caroline had given Bonnie a ride to school with us since she was planning to get ready in our house, sharing Caroline's car to the dance as well. The teachers failed to capture our attention during our classes when most of us were already thinking ahead of time, planning what to wear.

I had thought Caroline was going with Matt until he told us he was taking a shift in Mystic Grill. _Speaking of Mystic Grill . . . _"I haven't been there yet," I informed my friends during lunchtime.

Caroline gasped. "We'll go there tonight if the dance sucks tonight."

"That's some enthusiasm," Bonnie noted dryly.

Looping her arm's with Matt's, she grumbled, "Shut up. Are you going with anyone?"

Elena and Stefan instantly met each other's glances across the table, silently flirting with their eyes in their own private signals. They were obviously a pair that no one would separate. "No one," Bonnie shrugged. "I'm going alone."

"We can be loners together!" Caroline cheered buoyantly.

The corners of my lips curved downward. Hasty, I muttered, "Please do not say that out loud."

"Who are _you_ going with, hmm?"

I opened my mouth to answer when someone beat me to it. "Matt . . ."

Caroline shot me a dirty look and I raised my hands. "I didn't say that and whoever said that is dead, I know."

"Tyler." Matt replied quietly. The two boys nodded at each other as we turned to scrutinize them cautiously. Waving off his group of friends two tables down, Tyler Lockwood stood at the edge of our table. "What's up?"

"Just passing by . . ." His eyes flickered to me, a glint of interest crossing them. "Char, you going with anyone tonight?"

Everyone raised an eyebrow in our table, thinking the same dreaded thing. _Tyler and Char as a couple? Oh, hell._ I fought an amused grin back at their expense and replied smoothly, "Not with anyone yet. Why? Are you asking?"

He smirked. "I'll see you in the gym around eight. I'll look for you."

"Find the girl in red." I hinted as he walked away. My gazed dropped below the waist of his jeans with a hint of approval and Caroline smacked me in the leg a bit too enthusiastically. Her expression was one of pure disbelief. "_Ouch!_ What?"

"_What?_ What was _that_?"

"Er, flirting? The same thing you and Matt do when you think no one's noticing?"

Pausing, she blushed. "Yeah, but Tyler?"

"He's not that bad," Matt defended a little weakly. I had been told that their friendship was strained due to Tyler's past relationship with his missing sister, a girl who disappeared before Winslow and I had moved.

"Just be careful," Bonnie warned, compromising to meet both ends.

I took a long swig of my water bottle and nodded to appease their worries. "Of course. It's just a date - harmless flirting."

"What happened to not having a boyfriend?" Caroline argued.

Elena's doe brown eyes widened at the sound of normal girlfriend gossip and she asked curiously, "_You_ said _that_?" Much to our entertainment, Stefan and Matt immediately edged away from the conversation, suddenly interested with their tray of food.

"It's my type of fun. I don't need a boyfriend to let loose," I pointed out. "Besides, relationships are too serious for me and I like being single. So what? I mean, he didn't ask to be my boyfriend, did he?"

"It's a start," Caroline grumbled.

"If he tries anything, I promise to kick his ass. Happy?" Exasperated, I rolled my eyes when she nodded. Bonnie and Elena were smirking at her sudden overprotectiveness, accepting it since Caroline was like that with her friends and family. We separated when lunch ended; the bell rang for our next school period which we all had together in exception of Matt.

History class with Mr. Saltzman wasn't as awkward as before, but it wasn't doing any better either. Actually, he went from a total different reaction from paying attention to me to ignoring me when he had a choice to. He didn't call on me as much as the other students and while he was amicable with them, he barely uttered a word of hello in my direction. It was rather confusing, but it was a bit relieving that it stopped Caroline's teasing. She had almost spilled the beans when she was joking around in front of Winslow, and he would've thought it completely inappropriate if he ever found out about Mr. Saltzman's strange moods.

I caught up with Winslow when the last school bell echoed in the hallways. "Hey, this is from Elena,"

He stared at the ring with interest. "Why?"

"She's being friendly, Winnie. It'll be rude not to wear it. You know, it's actually stylish." With a look, he slipped it on and we walked behind the girls to Caroline's car. "Anyways, are you going to the dance with someone?"

His lips twitched to a smile. "Nicole Armstrong. You?"

"Tyler Lockwood,"

Much to my amusement, he frowned at me. "Why him?"

"Exactly my point!" Caroline cried aloud as she pressed her foot on the gas pedestal.

"Why her?" Scoffing, I glimpsed back to Bonnie. "Do we know a Nicole Armstrong?"

Her face scrunched up in confusion. "No, they're sophomores remember?"

I let out a sigh as Winslow sulked a bit next to Bonnie in the backseat. Preoccupied, Caroline rose the volume on her favorite song, blasting the speakers with pop/rap music. I couldn't help myself and sing along with her no matter how much they cringed at our sharp high tones. There was no doubt we were the definition of tone-deaf when we didn't really put effort into singing. "They do this everyday," Winslow informed our friend at the backseat.

"I feel sorry for you," was all Bonnie said.

Caroline drove us to Mystic Grill in a matter of a few minutes thanks to the lack of traffic. It was our first time here, Winnie and I; each sight and smell was new, even inviting. We had passed by before but never past the double doors of its entrance. The outer building was painted dark forest green, and its sign was colored gold against the black plaque. My second cousin quickly grabbed the closest to her, who unfortunately was Winslow, and ran over to a table to order for all four of us. Her eyes flickered around, searching for Matt, and when she found him, they shared a happy and somewhat mushy glance. Frowning, Winslow looked as if he was grumbling and was also pointedly ignored by the blonde.

"Well, this is Mystic Grill."

"I like what I see," I told Bonnie honestly. There were tables of pool and darts at one side, a bar in the other with trails of tables in-between. "I heard they have Open Mic nights. Must be fun."

"They are," she answered. "You hungry?"

"May as well eat. We have hours to kill before the dance."

We turned to go back to Caroline and Winslow when there was someone already behind us. Feeling the dark aura that surround him, we both jumped back in shock. He was a tall, lean man with ruffled black hair and clear gray blue eyes. My heart alone sped up at the sight of him - his body and his seductive arrogance. It was totally sexy. _Another incredibly handsome man in Mystic Falls . . ._ What was it about this town attracting such eye candy?

Apparently, my supernatural friend disagreed. "Damon!" Bonnie hissed with an angry frown, surprising me greatly.

"Great afternoon, Bonnie dear."

Before Bonnie could reply, I gaped. _"You're_ Damon? Caroline's _ex-_boyfriend_,_ Damon?" I wasn't surprised Caroline was able to attract a guy with his kind of good looks. I mean, he was just oozing with hot sensuality. Personally, I found it hard to keep my gaze away from his well-developed muscles underneath his tight shirt. Was that a six-pack I saw? Also a bit disappointed at my second cousin, I bit my bottom lip. He had _player_ written all over his body that should've warned Caroline to stay away despite his great looks.

His attention moved to me interestedly. "Hmm, I haven't met you before but then you already know my name. I kind of like that. Who are you?"

"Just someone," I answered vaguely.

Bonnie snapped, "What do you want?"

He cleared his throat. "Well my witchy friend-"

My eyes considerably widened. _He knows Bonnie's a witch . . _. Glancing at my friend, I found myself scowling in disappointment._ And Bonnie doesn't seem so surprised about it._

She crossed her arms, her mouth pressing into a hard thin line. "We're not friends."

Damon sighed almost regretfully. "Pity, you're still in denial after all this time. Don't you feel this pull between us?" She stared at him disgusted, too shocked to speak. I turned to both of them, crossing my arms over my chest. I couldn't see the two of them together. The tension between them was anything but sexual. "No?" He asked rhetorically. "Oh, that's too bad. I've always wanted to try a witch."

"You speaking nonsense, Damon. Now just tell me why you're here so you can leave me the hell alone!"

"I've decided to be the better man in this argument," he mocked, placing a hand over his heart. "And I forgive you-"

"For what?" Bonnie nearly shrieked. I put a calming hand on hers, glaring at him and sighing dejectedly. _Why are the hot ones always the jerks?_

"Considering you acted against me and I retaliated out of revenge - plus you're still alive and breathing right now, I'd say we're even. Don't you want a fresh new start with me?" He leaned into our personal bubbles. His breath oddly smelled of alcohol and of something metallic. I stood my ground as Bonnie slightly inched closer to nudge me behind her. He let out a laugh. "If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be smelling as lovely as you do today. Is that . . . vervain?"

I was too confused. _What is vervain?_ Then realization hit me in the face like a ton of bricks._ Did he just threaten us to kill us?_

Someone suddenly stepped in before I could punch Damon in the face. "Hey, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave. You're causing a disturbance with the guests over there."

We hadn't realized we were attracting a small audience. Damon looked to him with a frown but actually backed off, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Consider my offer, Bonnie." His ice blue eyes flickered to me. "See you around, stranger."

"I hope not," I replied snippily, not bothering to lower my voice.

He only smirked. Bonnie didn't back down this time and shot him a ferocious glare behind his back, a few seconds too late from having him see. Charily, the man who had intervened made sure we were alright. "Was he harassing you?"

"Verbally," I muttered too low for him to hear. Aloud, I answered, "No, sir?"

He chuckled. "I'm Ben McKittrick. I think I'm too young for sir yet." My friend relaxed and offered a faint apology, reddening when Ben shook his head. "Why? It wasn't even your fault."

"You got that right," I added moodily. "Let's eat already. I'm starved."

"Okay." Bonnie glanced at Ben once last time before we went to Caroline's table and ordered food. Thankfully, they hadn't noticed our disappearances and we wanted to keep our confrontation with Damon a secret. I wasn't sure how close Caroline had been with Damon so I didn't know how to ask her about him.

_Who the hell does he think he is?_ My blood was boiling. I wouldn't have really punched his face since that would be a waste of his perfectly good looks, but maybe a kick between his legs would've done it nicely. As expected, Bonnie and I didn't really offer much in the conversation; it was one of these rare moments I was glad Caroline had a big mouth. I was able to calm down only after the meal, and we drove to the house to get ready. _Just forget about it_, I told myself,_ don't let him ruin your night._

While Bonnie got ready in the guests room, Caroline used the master bedroom. Expectant, I brought out my makeup purse and the hair spray from under Caroline's bed. As they dried up into their dresses, I straightened my hair and clipped it into a perky bun, strands of auburn locks framing the sides of my face. I used cherry red lip gloss, more than the usual amount of eyeliner, and light smokey hazel eyeshadow. My dress was had off-the-shoulder straps that exposed the flawless skin of the back of my neck and shoulders, the thick puffy skirt spread out at the edges brushed against my knees. The few pieces of sparkling jewelry I chose to wear were the choker and the matching, lapis lazuli ring.

Two and a half hours passed and my friends were doing their finishing touches by themselves. Caroline had tied her hair up with corkscrew curls and wore a floral outfit in a sunny shade of yellow, a black belt tied against her waist. Her shoes were matching and her earrings were borrowed pearl studs. After trusting her enough with my things, she had promised to take very good care of them for the night. Bonnie, on the other hand, went for a spaghetti strap dress of white, brown, and blue. She even clipped her hair behind for the appearance of having bangs and used the color of puce for her narrow lips, glitter sprinkled over her dark skin.

They shared excited chatter about the dance, both hoping it'd be a blast yet somehow knowing it'd bust. "Winslow?" I called. He entered the living room in a dark blue vintage tux with sharp shoulder blades, a gray tie, and a wide blazer. His hair was gelled back and in his hand was a matching dark blue hat. "Looking crisp, Winnie," I complimented.

He just sighed at my choice of clothes as we walked back to Caroline's car, presuming the worse to come later on. "You really love making my job as the protective brother harder, don't you?"

"Eh, sometimes," I teased.

"This dance will stink," Caroline guessed rather brightly. "But at least we look hot."

"I second that," Bonnie agreed from the backseat.

"Ha! I just love the enthusiasm tonight," I noted with sarcasm, recalling Bonnie's words earlier. It wasn't hard to tell that she was still thinking about Damon from the Mystic Grill.

Caroline shook her head at me. "No, you just sucked it out of all of us. You're in a freakishly good mood today."

Winslow snorted but other than that, he was silent. "Why does everyone always freak out when I'm in a good mood?" I asked aloud, honestly curious to what they would say. "When I'm grouchy, you ask _why can't you act chirpy for once_? Then when I'm _finally_ happy, you ask _are you high on drugs_?"

"It's just your charm," Caroline said delicately.

My brother finally talked, scoffing, "What charm?"

I retaliated by throwing a pen at him. "If _I_ don't have that, what do _you_ have?"

"My intelligence?" He offered vainly, "My chivalrous attitude? I'm not that bad with the girls."

Caroline laughed. "You're blocking the rearview mirror with your big head, Winnie." She had adapted Winslow's nickname, but I didn't mind. It just reminded Winslow and I that we actually had a growing family in this small town and it warmed our hearts every time.

The parking lot was full and it painfully took a few minutes to find free space, considering everywhere else was filled to the max. We walked through the gym doors, saying quick hellos to those who waved at us. Everyone was dressed in nineteen fifties apparel, even the middle-aged chaperones. I tugged on a balloon string before I grabbed Winslow's arm, pulling him to the side as Bonnie and Caroline walked around to find Elena and Stefan. "Winnie! Are you driving back with us or do you have a ride home?"

"Nicole's brother already offered."

"Of course she did. . . . Well, keep your phone on loud," I warned, "and if you don't reply-"

"Yeah, I know. You'll order a search for me, joking or not." Winnie rolled his eyes at my supposed antics. "I'm not a kid anymore."

My serious scowl transformed into a small smile. "I'm not joking, Winnie, but have fun."

"You too. Be careful."

"Pssh. Always."

Winslow gave me a smile before he walked deeper into the crowd. My wooden heels made a few echoing sounds as I walked across the newly polished gym floor. I took a last glance on my phone, frowning at the lack of texts from Tyler. _Where is he? _Before I could slip it back to my handbag, warm hands covered my sight. _"Oh!"_

"I found you . . ."

Calming down, I let out a giggle as his minted breath washed over my bare neck. "Damn, I made it too easy."

"What if I want easy?"

A smirk grew on my lips and I turned to face him, unperturbed by the closeness of his face. I could even see the reflection of my face in his glassy, dark brown eyes. "Well, you got to learn at some point that you don't always get what you want."

Tyler grinned at my response. He supposedly liked the chase of getting a girl. "Let's dance,"

"The fifties jam? I'm horrible at that." I told him, eyeing everyone's awful moves. I saw a girl narrowly avoid getting kicked in the chest by a couple who were fooling around too much. _That would have hurt_, I thought to myself.

"You gotta try it first." When I remained defiant, he pressed a kiss on my cheek. "Besides, you smell delightful."

_"Pfft!"_ I nearly choked on an upcoming laugh as he tugged me forward. "That's the best you got? I _smell_ delightful?"

Tyler grinned wolfishly. "What? You do."

His hands slipped around my waist, pulling me around to the beat of the music. I could feel the heat of his body when we pressed close against each other for a while, feeling skin against skin. To be honest, I had to admit that the warmth of his open embrace was a little overwhelming - _interesting_, to say the least. We shifted positions, snickering as we twirled. Tyler and I probably looked as ridiculous as the rest of them, but it didn't wipe the giant grin on my face. Tyler was pretty fun behind all that arrogance and selfishness, but then again, his aggressive personality was kind of a turn on.

_Careful there_, I cautioned myself quietly, sobbering up. The cage I locked my heart in stayed shut and deep within my chest. _This is just for fun! Harmless flirting, harmless flirting, harmless flirting . . ._

When the fourth song ended, he led me to the beverage table. His arm was behind my back, leading me away from the dance floor. We were both breathing hard from swinging our arms around, our skin covered in a thin layer of sweat. I saw my friends a few tables away and nudged Tyler. "I'll hang out with you later?"

He followed my gaze and nodded. Tyler also found his friends at the other side of the gym. "I'll text you," he assured before we separated.

They glanced at me when I reached them, taking the punch Bonnie offered from her hand. "You look like you're having fun," Caroline observed a little enviously.

"Who knew he'd dance like that?" Bonnie questioned, almost mocking.

"It's a workout," I let out with a lungful of air. "What about you guys? Where's Stefan?"

"He's somewhere," Elena mumbled, sighing. Her stick straight hair was tied in a high ponytail in a maroon and medium blue classy dress, the skirt reaching to her knees. Small silver hoops and a simple yet eye-catching necklace adorned her ears and slender, tan neck. Her overall appearance was that of a chic hippie.

"Ugh, I took hours getting ready so I'm gonna stay looking pretty for at least half the dance." Then Caroline whined rather pathetically. "I don't think I can wait that long for Matt."

Bonnie and I shared a laugh. "We feel the same," I comforted her as I fixed the pins in my hair, "about making it count. Getting ready is such a pain."

My friend glanced over Elena's covered shoulder and her mood suddenly dropped dangerously low. The grin left her pinkish mouth and her eyes narrowed in anger to Stefan. _Why is she mad at Stefan?_ Then I noticed the boy next to him, standing with his eyes on our direction. _Damon_, I thought irritatingly.

I noticed how his gray blue eyes hesitantly drifted off to Elena's figure, and the short-lived softness in his gaze grew stronger. He liked Elena, not that I was jealous, but it made me chary since he was obviously Caroline's leftovers; wasn't there a rule about not dating someone's ex? _But who knew how long that attraction would last?_ When his stare went to me, he more or less gawked at my neck with shock.

"What is he doing here?" Bonnie demanded out of agitation. "What part of staying the hell away from me does he not understand?"

"All of it obviously," I answered, glancing at them one more time. He caught me staring but a frown replaced his usual charming smirk. To annoy him even more, I shot him a wink before turning back to my friends. His eyes burned the side of my face but I refused to look at him anymore.

"He's a chaperone," Elena informed us.

"Chaperone of hell, more like it. He's not even doing his job." I pointedly stared at a sophomore with the tin flask. Surprisingly, Mr. Saltzman appeared behind him out of nowhere and yanked it away from the flushed teenager. Oh, he was in so much trouble. Caroline laughed as Bonnie's lips twitched upward at my joke.

Elena fake coughed, but it didn't change the smile that threatened to appear on her lips. "I'm back with Stefan now. I have to learn on how to tolerate _him_ in an everyday basis if I want this to work. It's for my relationship - a new slate over the old one." Only Bonnie looked uncomfortable at her words.

"Poor girl," I cooed. "Too bad we can't just kill him."

"Wait," our dark-skinned friend raised an eyebrow, "actually, that's a great idea."

Caroline giggled, sipping her drink. "I'd even help."

"Cheers to that," I raised my glass to theirs, surprised that Elena tipped hers against ours as well. She must really like Stefan.

"Good evening ladies." We glimpsed around to see Damon leaning in too closely, much to our displeasure. Stefan was behind him with an apology in his worn out expression. "As comforting it is to hear you ladies plot about my death, I don't plan on dying anytime soon." _Did he hear the end of our conversation from that far?_

It was puzzling when Elena shivered beside me. "Damon . . ."

"You girls look absolutely _delectable_ tonight. Heh, you take dressing up to a whole new level."

"What look was it were you going for?" I asked in annoyance. "The pompous jackass who threatens schoolgirls?"

Stefan suddenly stiffened. He was both wondering how his older brother would react and presently angry at Damon's tactlessness. They were surprised to hear Damon laugh out, "Oh, I like you."

"Too bad the feeling isn't mutual." I muttered, taking notice of more than one alarmed stare at my direction. "First impressions are kind of important, if you didn't know that, and you sure made a lasting one earlier today."

"You met him?" Caroline asked uncertainly.

"Yeah, why?" I inquired, wondering how she'd answer.

To my disappointment, she just replied, "Nothing. I was just curious."

Stefan glared at Damon. "What exactly did you do?"

The dark-haired male shrugged, not exactly caring, "Things in the past, stay in the past. It was a simple misunderstanding."

"Things are never simple with you."

"Huh . . . look at that. I like Stefan now! I totally approve, buddy Elena." I declared, beaming up at Elena's boyfriend. _Screw feeling like death._

She couldn't help but grin at Stefan's sudden faint blush of embarrassment. "Good to know we have your blessing, Char."

Ignoring our conversation, Damon took a careful step forward and boldly took a tight hold of Bonnie's wrist. "Do you want to dance, Bonnie dear?"

She shot him a glare and tugged on her arm, wrenching herself away. "Are you serious? I'm going."

"Not even to give me another chance?"

"As if."

Caroline nodded eagerly. "Me too. I told you this would be a bore and Matt's calling my name."

Elena and I exchanged pleasant grins at her lovestruck expression. _Good job, Matt._ He gained an extra check in my notebook; at least she was moving on from Damon. _What did he do to her anyways?_ If it was anything horrible, I wouldn't doubt it from the few hours I met of him. Bonnie yanked her arm away and the two girls waited for me next to the entrance, whispering on their way there.

"I'm probably going home with Tyler," I told them wearily. At their faces, I knew I didn't word my sentence well. "Not _that_ way. Winslow is still here and I want to keep an eye on him."

"Er, okay then. Keep your phone on," Caroline repeated my warning. "We'll be in Mystic Grill."

Bonnie added with a frown, "Watch out for Damon."

I nodded and gave them hugs, watching them as they left the gym. They seemed surprised at my actions, but accepted them silently nonetheless. The double doors snapped shut at their departure, allowing some cool air inside. _As if I would let Damon scare me away from me fun._

I returned to the refreshment counters and noticed that a grinning Elena was dancing slowly with Stefan, who was amused for some reason. Mr. Saltzman, to my surprise, was speaking with Damon. A threatening aura surrounded the two males, abruptly filling the air with unwanted testosterone. They glanced at me questioningly when I picked up my drink warily then placed it back on the table. "I don't trust you," I told Damon bluntly.

"We'll just have to change that, don't we?"

Mr. Saltzman's eyes narrowed at the suggestive tone in Damon's rather sultry voice. "Flirting with minors, eh, Damon?"

He rolled his eyes, exasperated. "I'm trying to make a pleasant conversation after that horrid one I had with you. Such a bore." They slightly glared at each other. Before anyone could react, I was yanked to the dance floor by the so-called, blue-eyed charmer. "I feel like dancing. Stranger, let's have a go at it."

"Damon-" Mr. Saltzman began, but his voice was lost in the deafening music.

It was a peculiar thing; that deathly touch I felt from Stefan, I was getting it from Damon too. I tried to pull away from the shock of it but he had an amazingly tight grip around my waist and my thin wrist. A sharp stab of pain lied mostly on my chest, too close to my heart for comfort. Struggling, I squirmed in his arms and tried to control my emotions in vain. He misunderstood my discomfort and grinned predaciously. "Is something upsetting you?"

The growing irritation was enough to mask over the stabbing agony and I composed myself; I was, after all, a great actress for my age. Pressing the boundaries of luxury, I allowed the irritating chaperone to lead the dance skillfully. He knew what to do, not requiring my own years of experience in ballroom dancing, and I just went along with it like a puppet in strings. "I never do well with death threats," I reminded him darkly, "especially when they're directed to my friends and family."

"Bonnie was never in any danger," Damon soothed, "much of the time."

"This also includes Caroline."

He raised an eyebrow in confusion. When a slow song played, he brought me closer to his chest and asked suspiciously, "What about her?"

I gave short endeavor of opposition in his arms, but eventually stayed still. For someone so sarcastic, he was like a shield, giving me warmth from the icy breeze of the air conditioner. "You're her ex. Obviously it's over now, but no one will tell me what happened."

"No one as in Elena and Bonnie," he clarified.

"Yes," I began heatedly, taking a step back. Damon only followed, obnoxious. "But you are."

He smirked again. What that a regular thing with him? "And what makes you think such a thing?"

"I have a great aim," I answered vaguely, "and a good shot if you press me any closer."

Damon laughed but immediately backed off a little. At least he was heeding _some_ of my words. "I knew there was a reason why I liked you, and I don't like almost anyone."

"Good for you, but you're changing subjects."

"I've had enough boredom for a while so yes, I am. Let's talk about more interesting topics like-"

"How do you know Bonnie's a witch?" I finished for him.

"Oh, I like girls putting words in my mouth. Or other things." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. At my glare, Damon made a face and surprisingly gave a straight answer - sort of. "Easy, she inherited those judging little eyes that blame me for anything I do. You know, what? Now that I think about it, all witches stare at me like that."

"Hmm," I replied sarcastically, "because you're such a law-abiding citizen of Mystic Falls. I don't think it's just them." I never had taken to thought that there were other witches beside Bonnie and Sheila, but I didn't deny that it was possible.

Damon's eyes narrowed at me, ignoring my last sentence. "You're human though. If you were a witch, you'd be scorning me by the minute. In fact, you only dislike me for how I treated Bonnie and more or less your confusion with my past relationship with Caroline."

"You're human too," I pointed out. "And yes, you treated Bonnie like dirt. With Caroline, I just don't like not knowing things."

"The irony is, you don't know _everything_."

". . . Excuse me?"

At my obvious daze of surprise, he hastily took the lead of the conversation. "What's your relationship with Caroline? Why is she so important to you?"

"She's my second cousin," I answered automatically. "Family, if you even know what that means."

"Lovely Caroline has extended family?" He murmured more to himself than I. "I do know what family is. I have one."

"Well, I wonder how they're like. Hopefully they have the better genes."

"Yes, annoyingly so."

Someone suddenly butted in, a large coarse hand wrapping around mine. It was Tyler and he didn't look too pleased with his date dancing with someone else, especially one who was as devilishly handsome as Damon. "Char, you wanna sit down? The song's over."

We separated instantly, his pale hand brushing way to close to my butt, and I refused to blush. It would give Damon something to tease and Tyler something more to be annoyed about, but I didn't exactly know to what extent how irritating Damon could really be . . . until that moment afterwards. "Is someone jealous?" Damon taunted, "Someone might just steal her away."

"Yes, let's go. I'm tired of the company." Resolving to glare, I looped my arm around Tyler's and sauntered away.

He grinned and repeated his parting words from the restaurant, shooting a grin over his shoulder, "See you around, _Char_."

Steadily, Tyler and I ended up walking near Jeremy's empty table. The younger Gilbert and I hadn't talked much since I had moved in Mystic Falls, but we were pleasant around each other as acquaintances should be. Interestingly enough, our conversations were either about school or our hidden passions; his was drawing and mine was photography. I gave Elena's brother a tiny smile and he returned it, eyeing the dark-haired football player in distrust. Aside from Matt, Jeremy disliked Tyler because of his past relationship with Matt's sister - Vicki Donovan.

"What was that?" Tyler demanded, suddenly whirling on me. His breath smelled like alcohol . . .

_Great friends_, I thought sarcastically. My almond-shaped eyes widened at his sudden accusation. "What are you talking about?"

"With that dude over there-"

"I wasn't doing anything with _that dude over there_," I argued, already riled up from Damon. Tyler was partially drunk, or at least getting there. "And even if I was, _we're_ not even together."

"You were flirting with a chaperone, Char."

Gaping at his audacity, I crossed my arms. I was going to deny it, but another set of words escaped through my mouth instead. "You were just flirting with Sarah over there!"

When I was dancing with Damon, I had spotted Tyler with a few classmates of mine. Several pretty girls were wearing questionable apparels; I was a little surprised they weren't told to go back home and change. Truthfully, I didn't feel envious or flustered with his additional company. I found Tyler attractive, yes, but there was nothing personal or emotional between us. It was all flirting and nothing else, or at least, that was what I believed was between us. Another round of _it's harmless flirting_ ranted inside my head.

Tyler opened his mouth to say whatever crap he was planning on say when Jeremy intervened smoothly. "Hey, maybe you should leave her alone."

"She's my date," he snapped at the younger one.

I scoffed, sticking to my Blackburn pride. "Not anymore."

_"Seriously?"_

"You're drunk," I snapped as I edged away. "That's not cool, Tyler. Not tonight."

"You know what? Whatever." He shot me a worthy glower before storming off straight to Sarah, unwittingly drawing attention to himself with all the stomping. Where the hell had all his charm gone?

With a sigh, I glanced at the sixteen year old Jeremy. I quickly noticed Stefan and Damon entering a separate hallway, the opposite side of the gym's exit. _Interesting._ For some reason, a nervous feeling settled at the pit of my stomach. Something was definitely at work nearby, but I wasn't sure what it was yet. I could recall Sheila telling me that my instincts were as sharp as a witch's, rivaling that of Bonnie's; I merely needed to trust it to show me the way. "Thanks, Jeremy."

"It was my pleasure. He's an ass."

"Oh, really? I went to this dance with him _because_ of his cute ass," I corrected for my own benefit. At the corner of my eye, Jeremy shook his head at me, no doubt entertained at my bluntness. We plopped back to our seats and took a moment to relax. When I looked up, Jeremy was swirling a full glass in his hand. I pointed to it with the manicured nail of my forefinger, smirking, "Is that questionable?"

"It's apple juice. I don't think I could pass through here with a flask. Did you see Mr. Saltzman?" He questioned after I nodded in agreement, "You okay?"

I grinned, secretly bothered with the voice in my head screaming to follow the boys through those doors. "Not really bothered. It was never serious with him anyways. Where's your date?"

"If it's hard to believe, I went alone."

"It _is_ hard to believe." Crossing my arms, I forced a grin at his direction when an idea popped in my head. "Next time there's a dance or party of some kind and we're both dateless, I'm taking you - no questions asked."

Jeremy laughed a little. "I'm interested in someone else, but I also wouldn't mind going with someone like you."

Amused, I quirked an eyebrow. _Ooh, Jeremy has a crush. _I wondered if Elena knew. "And who exactly am I, Mr. Gilbert?"

"Someone painfully honest," he answered almost immediately. "It's kind of refreshing."

There it was again; someone else believed I was honest. _They need help_, a voice growled in my head, _get up!_ I shot straight up from my seat, flinching at the volume of that voice. "Erm, ow."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jeremy seemed worried, standing up with me. What a nice kid.

"Fine. I need to go. Later, Jeremy!" I managed to choke out, already running to the hallway. Jeremy called my name but I was too far away to listen, distracted with what the hell was going.

The urgency grew thickly within my chest, right beside my pounding heart, and I dashed as fast as I could in the bright red heels. Considering my years of familiarity with them, people could say that I ran like the wind. My fancy shoes clicked loudly, cutting through the silence, until my intuition led me to the cafeteria doors. Caught up in the moment, I slammed them open with an echoing thud, and my jaw hung open at the sight before me. Elena was cowering next to the table with fresh bruises in her exposed skin, an ugly mark swelling on her cheek. Her eyes were wide with horror, staring at the three people in front of her.

The first thing I noticed after Elena was that Damon lied under someone's body, but not in the way he would prefer. The stranger - a man, was holding something that was similar to a wooden stake over the area of his heart. I was surprised to see Stefan there as well, but his condition was much worse. His torso was bleeding out against his white collared shirt with a stake driven straight on his stomach, shoulder, and his hand. Staring helplessly at the scene, he was restrained to the wall. The pieces of wood had mercilessly slid through his body and dug deep into the cement behind him.

Blood was literally stained everywhere - over the walls, floors, and the scattered tables and chairs around the cafeteria. Talk about gruesome. I felt like vomiting.

"Damon!" Before the stranger could plunge it into Damon's chest, I concentrated on the water in his body. To my horror, it was a somewhat different feeling that overpowered my body, sending freezing chills throughout me. _This isn't water._ I thought carefully, _it's his blood._

Sheila had warned me of the dangerous ability that I should never use with the blood in one's veins. Any body, human or animal, was made mostly of water - liquid I could influence and that was the primary source of my power before. As a child, I had already proven her claims unwittingly with fish, birds, and small wild animals in the park - using the water inside of themselves for absolute control. Never causing them harm, I only used such an ability when they were injured and required assistance; I had a secret soft spot for animals.

Guiltily though, I had refrained from telling Sheila of my past practices yesterday. I had known of the seriousness of control in New York as well, but I had never tried it on a human. _Until now_, I added inwardly.

To their astonishment, he was ripped off of Damon and thrown against the wall, but their relief was short-lived when they finally saw me in the middle of the cafeteria - hand outstretched to the stiff man, mouth open in disbelief, and expression mixed with outrage and confusion. It didn't occur to me that I had openly exposed my secret and actually reached a high level of maturation for my powers as my words rang loud and clear off my lips. _"What the hell is going on here?"_


	8. Lights For The Blind

_I know this is a Klaus/Elijah story, but they haven't met Chardonnay yet. Any Damon fans rejoice. He's not my top three favorite characters, but I like his complicated personality - a little twisted but colorful. Damon and Chardonnay will have a perplex friendship, kind of like the we-shouldn't-be-friends-but-we-are-anyways thing Damon has with Alaric [yes, the Damon, Stefan, and Elena triangle will continue on in this story] and this chapter shows how it kind of starts. Again, sorry for any historical conflicts with the Bulgarian town I chose as Katerina's hometown. Total fanfiction, I apologize if it's somehow offensive . . . Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Eight**

**Lights For The Blind**

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2009

_"Char?"_ Elena gasped in shock, her mouth gently parting open. Her expression must have mirrored mine perfectly. "W-What? H-How . . . ?"

The stranger jumped to his feet as soon as my power over his body relinquished without my knowledge. My full attention focused on Stefan who was languidly pulling himself out of his trap. It looked like he was in pain but he was still standing and _breathing._ "You should be dying!" I nearly shouted unbelievingly. "Why aren't you-"

"Char!" Elena's voice rang sharply as she screamed.

I turned just in time to hold him in mid-air, straining my energy as the seconds passed. _"Oh."_ There were a few intakes of breath at my actions, but my eyes stayed on him. I didn't want to repeat the same mistake. His face was a few feet away from me and it twisted into a frustrated sneer. I could feel him fighting back to move again, but he clearly underestimated my capability. He looked like he could've been thirty-two years old with brown hair and dull brown eyes, and I secretly wondered why I expected more. _I guess every guy in Mystic Falls can't be devastatingly handsome like Damon or Stefan._

In horror, I watched as black veins sprouted across his exposed skin, all over his neck and face. The whites of his eyes transformed into the murky shade of vicious red - his color of brown almost glowed, and parts of his teeth sharpened into needle-like fangs for easy lacerations. "Witch!" The man hissed rather nastily.

My eyes narrowed, a little offended for Bonnie's sake. "Close enough," I snapped, throwing him across the cafeteria. There was a gust of wind that passed by my body and in a blink of an eye, Damon was standing over him. He had his own wounds though not as horrid as Stefan's. The man gave out a gasp and fell to his knees with a wooden stake freshly dug into his stomach. More blood poured from the wound. I shouted in disbelief, "What the hell Damon? What do you think you're doing? Are you trying to kill him!?"

"No," he actually answered. "I'm _going_ to kill him. There's a difference, sweetie."

"Nobody is killing anybody," Stefan managed to assure me as he struggled to his feet. Elena had rushed over to him after getting over her period of shock and helped him to his feet. They staggered slowly to where Damon was and I hesitantly followed, avoiding the smears of blood on the plastic floor. My stomach began to twist uncomfortably and I could literally smell the stench of bloodshed in the air. "Why are you doing this?"

He let out a strangled chuckle. "It's fun?"

Not hesitating, Damon proceeded to knee him in the face and plunge the stake even deeper. There was an awful crunch of his nose breaking and he fell to the ground in heaps, letting out curses that would've burned my ears red if I hadn't used them at least once myself. "What do you want, hmm? A stake through the throat or a pierced lung?"

"Damon!" I scolded. Under the dread and shock, I was curious to how he could still be conscious after all that.

Stefan added to my argument. "That's enough, Damon."

The man taunted shamelessly, "Yes Damon, that's enough."

He ignored us and targeted the wrist, striking past the flesh and muscle. Blood spurted out of his wound in a gruesome manner. I watched in horror and eyed the limp muscle. The gutwrenching screeching that followed it made me turn to the nearest trash can and I could feel apologetic stares on my back. I honestly didn't care for their apologies. What was left of my lunch crawled out of my throat and into the plastic bag. The smell was revolting - a mixture of vomit and metal - and I edged away, trying to take a breath to soothe my squirming stomach. When I finished, I realized someone was holding my hair back in comfort, rubbing slow circles at my back.

"Is it all out?" Elena asked softly.

I nodded, needing to wash out my mouth as soon as possible. She seemed to figure out what I wanted and led me to the girls' bathroom, leaving the stranger alone with Damon and Stefan. We heard Damon ask, "What did you want with Elena?"

There was silence then a horrible gurgling noise. We both shivered. As much as I wanted to go back there and get in the middle of things, I was horribly filthy and I didn't know the entire story. What _was_ the entire story? With Damon, I could actually picture him getting involved with whatever this was, but Stefan and Elena? How did they fit into all of that? Elena waited by the door as I washed my face clean of makeup and small traces of vomit. "Uh, how do you feel?"

"Confused as hell," I instantly answered, wiping the back of my hand across my forehead. I took a deep breath when my nerves rose to dangerous heights.

She tried to smile on my behalf. "I understand what you're going through. I felt the same exact thing when I found out what they were."

_"What_ are they?" I asked cautiously.

"What are _you?"_ Elena threw back.

Shooting her an irritated glance through the mirror, I replied, "I don't know what I am."

"Does anyone know?" When she caught my look, she quickly added, "About whatever you are, I mean?"

"A few."

"Who?"

I turned to face her, leaning against the sink. "This conversation feels a little one-sided."

She flushed and her gaze went to the floor. "I'm sorry, Char. It's just," Elena let out a sigh, "I learned I was being stalked for a few days, had my friends and family threatened a few times, and with this whole tomb thing-"

"What tomb?"

"The one under Fell's Church,"

I clarified, "Where Emily destroyed the necklace?"

Elena looked pleasantly surprised. "You know about that?"

"From Bonnie," I answered. _So Bonnie's ancestor's connected to this too. What about Sheila and Bonnie? Did they know about this too? Why didn't they tell me? _I pushed back my anger and forced myself to focus on the situation at hand. "I met up with her grandmother - Sheila Bennett?"

"Oh," she thought for a moment. "Does that mean you're a witch like that guy said?"

"I've been told I'm similar to a witch, but no, I'm not one. Bonnie and her grandmother would've sensed it right away."

I opened my mouth to say something else but Elena interjected, "I know you have questions right now, Char, but we need to get back to the cafeteria. It'll be easier to have Stefan and Damon explain it with me instead of leaving you hanging right now. I, er, don't know everything either." Elena was a horrible liar, but she did have a point.

Almost reluctantly, I nodded in consent. I wiped my face dry and repeated the rinsing process to make sure the foul taste left my mouth. I tiredly checked my reflection before we left the bathroom. My hair was in disarray, my face clean but pale, and my dress - ugh, who cared anymore? All I noticed under my mess of emotions was it was stained. By the time we returned, the cafeteria was wiped clean of any evidence from the fight. Stefan was rearranging the last of the tables and chairs with surprising strength. It was literally spotless - too clean for the janitor's doing, if you'd ask me - as if nothing had ever happened.

_But something_ did _happen and I can't just ignore whatever happened tonight. I _need_ to know what's going on. _"Where is he?" I asked.

"I'm right here," a voice replied arrogantly. "I have to say girls, you took your time in the ladies room."

"Not you," I snapped at Damon when he walked from the exit, literally patting himself in the back as if he'd done something right. How was torturing and stabbing a man anything worth congratulating yourself for? As disgusted as I felt, I inched closer, pushing my comfort limit. "Where's the _man_?"

"He's preoccupied being buried six feet under by now," he replied easily as if we were talking about the weather.

Gaping, I blanched. _"What?"_

"You said no killing!" Elena growled, shooting Damon a glare.

"We got what we wanted. I'd say, good job everyone - well, except about her. She's your problem Stefan."

"He wasn't a man, Char," Stefan told me solemnly. The three of them were watching my reaction very carefully, especially Damon. He looked as if he didn't mind adding a second murder to his conscience. _If he has one, that is._ "In fact, he wasn't even human. Damon and I, we're not human either."

"You think?" I muttered sarcastically, my inner turmoil just seeping off around me. At the corner of my eye, Elena exchanged uneasy glances with Stefan, both having a good idea on how brusque I could be at times. This was definitely one of those times. "What made it so obvious? Was it the demon eyes, his _fangs_? Or maybe it was his oh so high tolerance for pain? And you - Stefan! What are you? I mean, I just blessed your relationship with my friend and you pull a stunt like this! Doesn't _anyone_ want me happy today?"

To my surprise, I saw a flash of guilt pass his face before it was gone. He actually cared what I thought about him and Elena. "He was stalking Elena," he reasoned.

I shouted in alarm, "You _murdered_ a man! That trumps stalking any day!"

Damon butted in impatiently, "Weren't you just here earlier? He was going to kill Elena and he already promised to kill Jeremy too. You saw some of what he could do so you know the danger. Them and Bonnie, Caroline, the whole town - even _you_ would've died. I probably would've shed a tear or two on your behalf, you know." At my dirty look, he rolled his eyes and turned to Stefan and Elena. "Let's finish this at the Boarding House."

_"Your_ house? So you can kill me? No way."

He rolled his eyes. "No one's going to kill you."

I remarked sharply, "Yes, like you said no one was going to _kill_ anyone!"

"You're not going to get killed." Stefan promised again as he stood up. I hadn't realized his wounds were already healed and he could walk without Elena's help. My friend stood with a worried expression, anxious for my reaction on top of many other things that were going through her head.

"Unbelievable," I breathed.

"I'm still the Stefan you know-"

"I don't know you." I cut in bluntly, ignoring the amused look Damon shot my way. He seemed smug for some reason. "I knew you as Elena's boyfriend, yes, but I don't know _you_. Didn't _you_ hear what _I_ said earlier? We became friends just about an hour ago - not enough time, really." I added the last part a little bitterly. Stefan really seemed like a nice guy and I felt a little hypocritical for being so stubborn. I was different too, but then again, I never killed anyone with my abilities; that added my curiosity toward him even more.

"But you know me, Char." Elena reached for my arm and I couldn't help but move away. She looked hurt at my actions but kept at a distance, drifting to Stefan's side. She knew I wanted answers, not comfort. "I wouldn't put you in harm if I had the power to stop it. If Stefan was dangerous, I wouldn't be with him."

Damon let out an exaggerated sigh. "Yes, this warms my heart that you love my brother dearest - it really does, but can we go now?"

My eyes widened. Stefan and Damon were brothers? They didn't even look alike. "You're related!?"

"Can't you see the similarities?" Then he answered his own question, "Hmm, no you don't, but I'm hotter right?"

"I don't trust you," I warned, ignoring his last statement.

"Well, I don't trust you either," he retorted back. His blue eyes went to me suspiciously and I tensed. He was a murderer, he claimed so himself. "I heard your conversation in the bathroom, sweetie. You could be more dangerous than we are and you don't even know it."

"At least I haven't killed anyone!"

"Get over that, will you? People die almost everyday. You humans are just that easy, but it's up to you. I just want to get out of here and get a drink so I'm - _we're_ leaving." When I stayed silent and indecisive, he pointed out with a frown, "Weren't you the one who said you don't like not knowing things earlier?"

"But at your house . . ?"

"One time offer or you'll be kept out of it. Actually, I could make you forget right now." He offered and caught the looks from Stefan and Elena. "I don't care if it's unfair. She's either an ally or a liability, and everyone knows what happens to burdens here." Damon overemphasized his statements by making a dead face and dragging his nails across his throat, drawing faint cuts of blood.

As if portraying mercy upon me, they gave me a few minutes to gather my thoughts. I was so overwhelmed that I just stood there, my eyes flickering to each of their faces again and again with uncertainty. My mind was drawing nothing but blanks and I was panicking underneath my poker face. I didn't know what to do; I wished Bonnie was here . . .

_Follow them_, was what my gut shouted.

_But they killed. Who knows who else died because of them? _I flinched when Damon started humming the Jeopardy tune. _What an ass._

"Damon," Stefan snapped.

Before he could say something in return, I said in a small but steady voice, "Fine. Okay, I'll humor you and go." Elena took my hand supportingly and I didn't fight back this time. I really needed a friend right now once the realization of my situation hit me like a ton of bricks, and the comfort she offered before was more than enough now. I looked up to glare at Damon. "But you! You stay away - a good five _feet_ away from me tonight. Stefan, make sure of that! This is just too much in one night."

"Oh, don't worry so much Char." Damon mocked, raising an eyebrow challengingly, "It'll get better."

* * *

-Kavarna, Bulgaria-

1490

Months had passed since my introduction and I was not pleased at all. Much to my utter displeasure, I had became Mother's shadow and wherever she went, I was forced to follow. I loved my mother dearly, I really did, but there was only so much criticism I could handle when I was spending almost every waking moment by her side. She hated my posture, my choice of dresses, and my reluctance to approach possible suitors. If she could only see I was taking her words to heart, that I understood my position as a young lady - born with aristocratic prestige - and I honestly believed that I had no use of a male companion.

_But that is not enough . . ._

One ordinary day, Mother would chastise how my voice wasn't soft and tender to the ears, then scold me afterwards, claiming I was too obnoxiously loud. When I had made my deal with Father, I wrongly assumed that my life would still be mine for another two years - precious draining time of my remaining freedom, but Mother had other plans in mind. She had faith that she could influence me out of my supposed, horrid decision of staying as a single maiden, and with her nagging presence came along added company. Through the days, I discovered how truly popular my mother was in our society and what she repeatedly did for years while Father was at work and Anastasiya and I were at home studying.

Her flock of friends treated her with the utmost respect, treating most of her sayings as if they were laws themselves. Nadelya Petrova was one of the few who openly stated her thoughts without the care for what my mother's regards. I respected her for that, but it wasn't fair for the others who didn't have the same power to do so. When she wasn't looking after her daughters or organizing the household, she was invited to almost every tea party to chat and socialize over the simplest things like the weather, even gossiping mercilessly at a few of the ladies that were frowned upon in her closest circle. I was sure if I wasn't the Draganov heiress and her eldest daughter, I would be scorned for my _ways of thinking_.

One of my father's favored bachelors happened to be Dimitar Ignatieva, the eldest son of one of his friends. He was actually a person I could tolerate and it also helped that he was handsome and somewhat considerate to what I had to say. He had wavy black hair, bright hazel eyes, and a strong jaw with a tall built for a man past his twenty-three years. Much to my relief, he didn't speak of senseless small talk but actual news and stories of his travels with his father.

I was very envious indeed. Oh, how I wished to travel outside from this place, this prison! I wanted freedom from the persistence of this life I was directed to, but destiny would not have it. I would be cursed to live in the endless cycle of forced affability and strict rules. Then a few days ago, my mother struck a gold mine. She hadn't missed my very first smile during my conversation with Dimitar and since had been pushing me to visit the Ignatievas more often. He was kind, but a little mundane.

Katerina, aside from the rare times I spent with Father, had been my only steady source of joy. I finally found the sense of sisterhood I had never received from Anastasiya from the few months of knowing her. Once she reached the ripe age of fifteen, she grew out of her shy nature and was much more outgoing with me. It took a while for her to trust me though, more than I would like to admit. She had presumed I was playing tricks on her, but slowly lost that ridiculous accusation as time passed and our friendship strengthened.

I had confided in her about my fears and she, in return, whispered of her romantic trysts with Paskal, who also happened to be Dimitar's devilish younger brother. "What is it that you look for?" Katerina asked me, her voice dropping to a low murmur.

We were sitting in the front hall, sipping cups of warm tea. Her parents were a little hesitant with my growing friendship with Katerina. I understood that they worried how I would unknowingly tempt her into the life they had protected her from, but they couldn't exactly stop me from coming. My parents would've intervened and called it an offense to deny me hospitality inside. Secretly, I was a little angry with Katerina's parents for keeping her in solitude for so long, only having the maidservants as company. We had an understanding of sorts, knowing how lonely one could feel. Then again, comparing my life to hers, I was a bit jealous.

"A life from here," I told her instantly. "I am suffocating under the expectations of my mother from these past months."

"Freedom," she sighed. "That is what I wish as well."

My lips twitched, downward or upward I do not know. "Tell me, Katerina, how does Paskal fare?"

She smiled, her eyes twinkling with a fearless mask of mischief. "Better than expected."

"Explain," I requested simply, hiding my objections. As much as I was happy for my friend, I was also majorly concerned. Paskal was three years her senior and there were rumors from my mother's friends that he was to be engaged to another woman. I had informed Katerina of this but it went through deaf ears. She was deeply attached to the flirtatious man who would most likely break her apart, and had forced me to keep my lips sealed from her parents who would definitely not approve. Despite my better judgement, I continued to keep it a secret.

Katerina leaned forward, whispering, "He has invited me to his chamber."

My worry increased significantly, but I kept a cool face. I took a deep breath to keep my tone light. "Oh, interesting. What is it that you plan to do? Do not forget of Bilyana, the maid who is to keep watch over you at night. Do you not remember her place at the foot of your bed?"

"She is a trusted companion and has not whispered a word to my mother."

"Then her job is left unfinished,"

Katerina frowned. "Please, Varvara, I wish not another argument today."

"I only want the best for you."

"You speak as my mother does," she noticed distastefully. "I seek the presence of my companion, not my caretaker."

I put my cup down, scowling. "Can I not be both?"

Her beautiful wide eyes softened slightly and leaned back into her chair. If her mother caught her slouch, she would have received an earful. "I am somewhat content with the blessings I have been given, Varvara. You as my sole confidant have given me much joy that I cannot even express in words, but I now have Paskal at my side as well. No other could be as happy as I am now, despite the restrictions that have been placed upon me. I may never have freedom, but I have _this_ - I have now. Please do not take this away. I beg you."

She had learned of my weakness to her charm just recently and has manipulated it to benefit her as much as she could. If I were any other lady who was loyal to the order of etiquette, I would have felt used and annoyed at the audacity of her actions. Instead, I was a little proud. Katerina had learned so much the past few months and I was honored to watch her growth upclose. She grinned at me when she saw the resignation in my eyes. "Oh, very well, but as your friend I must warn you. Do not give him what he desires."

"I am not a fool," she giggled. "It shall be a long way for him to reach _that_, Varvara."

To ease the light tension in the air, I switched the conversation to lighter topics. "My mother has been insistent on my possible match with Dimitar."

Her whole face brightened. "Oh, yes. Paskal's elder brother. A suitable arrangement for you,"

"What are you thoughts on him?"

She thought for a while. "I have yet to meet him, but I have heard of him, probably a glance from afar. He is a bit old, isn't he? Past twenty-four years and still unmarried despite his prestige? Attractive, yes, but rather dull."

A laugh escaped from me. "That's a cruel assumption to make."

"Why, Varvara," she mockingly gasped. "Have you done something horribly questionable with your visits there?"

"That would make me nothing more than a hypocrite, Katerina. I would never!" We dissolved into giggles and I glanced at the door to make sure we were alone. Bilyana may be loyal to Katerina, but she was not my maid and I would hardly call Tsveta as my friend. She may have followed me everywhere, but her loyalties and fear lied with my mother; and because of that reason, she was presently waiting with the coachman outside the Petrova home. "But I must admit, his kisses are as sweet as the scent of the bouquets he has given me."

"What fiction! When had you committed such an act of boldness?"

"Last night," I sighed, the cheerfulness slowly fading away in reality, "in the presence of my mother,"

Her face was comical. "Oh, my poor friend," she immediately poured more liquid into the cup. We both wished that it was the wine we saw our parents drink from time to time. We were somewhat sick of tea. "It is sad that they reek of such desperation."

"That they do."

After my short visit, I ordered the coachman to take me to the Ignatieva property. Tsveta was quiet at my side, but that was not unusual. She rather cowardly in my presence. I allowed her to follow me in the Ignatieva home, taking the lead before she took my place to knock on the door. Another servant opened the door and hastily invited us in. I had worn my family's crest on the tie of my dark red cloak, openly claiming which family I belonged to. "Lady Varvara," Dimitar and Paskal's mother greeted me. She was the ever graceful Viktoriya Ignatieva with beautiful red hair and Dimitar's bright hazel eyes.

"Lady Ignatieva," I inclined my head respectfully.

"Your visit is a surprise. What is it that brings you here?"

"Your son," I answered vaguely.

A smile grew on her face. The idea of her eldest son being married to a Draganov was obviously her most favored match yet. The dowry she would receive from my father alone would bring any mistress of the house to tears of joy. "Have you grown fond of Dimitar? He will be very pleased to hear it, but unfortunately, he is not here. Lord Ignatieva and Dimitar have left-"

"I am content on waiting,"

"It shall be a long time, Lady Varvara,"

"Then shall I take room upstairs?" I suggested with a challenging tone, testing the power of my family's name. It was rude to demand things in such a way, but my worry for Katerina overcame any hesitancy of my future actions.

Lady Ignatieva frowned, clearly upset at my sudden conviction but nodded. "Er, of course. Zara will lead you to a guest room, if it is suitable for such honor."

I ignored the last part with a rather patronizing smile. "I thank you for your hospitality." Without another word, I followed the familiar blond maidservant with Tsveta hot on my trails.

As I planned, Zara instead led me to the private study. Its library was a wall full of shelves and aged books, but it was decorated grandly with lavish seats and polished tables. I had been here with Dimitar before, eyeing the world map's with hunger. It was our meeting place, so to speak, and was the only place we were allowed privacy. Eyeing the map, I brushed my fingers against the rough paper. There were unclaimed lands across the sea and I secretly wondered what lied beyond the land that no man had yet crossed. I studied the papers on the desk disinterestedly before turning to the girls.

"What is on your mind, Lady Varvara?" Tsveta asked timidly.

"It is none of your concern," I replied sharply. Alarmed, she immediately back off.

I looked at Zara. Her genuine beauty was wasted as a servant yet her personality endured. "Have you done what I asked?"

She nodded obediently. "Yes, my lady, he will be coming shortly. The message was given at sunrise."

"And you have not spoken a word to the lords and lady of this house?"

"They have not escaped my lips, nor my elder sisters'."

With a small smile, I reached into the hidden pocket under my skirts and handed her the sack of coins. "Your youngest brother must mean the world to you."

Tears began to build in her eyes. "We are determined to free him. He does not deserve such a confined fate like this."

"You deserve more," I told her sincerely before dismissing her. "Be careful with who holds the gold. I do not wish to be the cause of false claims of thievery." She curtsied and closed the door behind her after giving me a grateful smile. Tsveta looked a little scared at the coolness of my expression and the warning in my voice when I faced her. "I know of your commitment towards my mother and I will not argue with that for I am glad a capable girl such as yourself is devoted to her, but today is a matter of personal business. I will expect it to remain so."

"You wish my silence," she squeaked out, "then you shall have it, my lady."

"You do know the consequences of lying, yes?"

She nodded hastily. "If I must, then I shall swear."

"Good." I sat at my seat, trying to collect my thoughts. Tsveta dutifully stayed in the background, curious yet worried of what was to come. It was a short period of silence until someone knocked.

Paskal entered the library, but his almond-shaped eyes widened at the sight of me. His tousled black hair was tied into a ponytail, but his mocking orbs glowed dangerously amber. He had his father's haunting eyes and a personality to match. What was it that Katerina saw in him? He was a pompous, rude man who sulked when things did not happen the way he wanted them to. It was so clear that he was using her for desires practically bordering carnal, but he too brought her happiness. How could I let my indecisiveness linger on to let this occur to Katerina for this long?

"Lady Varvara," he murmured confoundedly as he closed the door. "I had received a note but I surely did not imagine the writer to be you."

"I have something to discuss, Lord Paskal. Please sit."

"What is it that you cannot say in the attendance of my family?"

"Your affair with Katerina Petrova," I answered with a frown.

A brief look of shock passed his face and a small smirk grew on his lips. Paskal was obviously pleased with the catch he scored. Katerina was innocent and pure - a virgin just like I, but she was a much easier girl to capture with his charms and alluring lies. He was just as arrogant as my sister, Anastasiya, but he held ill intentions in his amber eyes. They flickered to the maidservant behind me before he replied boredly, "And may I inquire how that is any concern of yours?"

"I must be frank with you, my lord. I do not like it."

"Out of your own selfishness, I wonder?"

My eyebrow rose at the crude insolence of this man. "Do not flatter yourself."

He let out a chuckle. "Of course not. No one is good enough for a lady with such stature. There is no honor for the rest of us in your presence."

"Did you not hear of the plans for you?" I asked, watching his reactions intently. I was guilty for not speaking with Katerina about this, but she did not listen - nor did she want to and I refused to let her stay in the dark. "They are not mere rumors."

"What of it, my lady?"

Anger began to rise in my chest. "If you had the decency of any gentleman, you will leave her."

"And break her little heart?"

"Better broken than what you are so clearly planning," I snapped. My eyes narrowed into a glare when his only response was a rather dark smile. "You may have Katerina fooled, as well as your family and your ignorant fiancée, but I refuse to allow you to have your way with her. She is but a growing child. To take advantage of a young girl in such way-"

"I am a man, Lady Varvara, and she is at age. She is not the first to fall for my charms nor I the first man to try such things." Paskal rested his elbows on his knees, drawing closer to my angered expression with a small tilt of his head. Some may have found that cute, but I saw it as irritating. "Katerina would not like the sound of this. You act almost like a friend overcoming with jealousy over a man you cannot have. My brother is not enough for you?"

I clenched my hands into fists, but composed my face into a mask of indifference. It must have not been good enough since he could see the fire in my eyes. "You know of my place, Lord Paskal, and you know your own. I can only wish for you to take my words with the seriousness I desire, for I will not give you another warning. I may be a young lady with no claims as of yet, but I am still a Draganov and I am gaining influence within the society ever slowly. Katerina is under my protection as she has been for months. It will be foolish to try anything to her for you will be held accountable."

Paskal was silent as I let my words fill in his head. I stood up, looking down on him and motioning Tsveta that the visit was over. He knew I was not bluffing. I may not have the power, but it was just as easy as to tell my father of his doings. It would ruin his family yes, but there were other subtle ways of retaliation. "You will not want me as an enemy for our fathers are the closest of friends, but if you force my hand and refuse to concede my words, I can only promise you one thing, my lord. You _will_ lose against me."

"All for this little girl?" He taunted.

"Yes." With a lasting look, we left Paskal alone in the study in silence. Zara was waiting by the door and she nodded in my direction as I passed. "Please tell Lady Ignatieva of my leave. She was right. It is too long a wait."

My achievement was rather pleasant. I was pleased when it had been weeks since Paskal was seen anywhere near Katerina. He too had avoided me when I visited once more for Dimitar's company, under my mother's wishes of course. During our afternoons of tea, Katerina did not tell me of her trysts for they had stopped. She complained that he was distant and cold and I wore yet another mask of fake sympathy; she had no need to learn of the dark side of people.

_He has listened_, I thought with victory. My triumph was short-lived however when Katerina sent word of ill feelings. It was rumored that she was sick with high fever and cold sweats, but as worried as I became, my mother denied any of my requests for visitation. She had feared I would catch her illness and possibly scare away any men who presently showed interest with me. Resorting to act out of desperation, I had asked of her company with her parents but they strangely avoided the subject with skill.

Time passed by too slowly, and I returned to my melancholy, alone and somewhat cynical; we had missed a month of association. It didn't take long for me to appear busy with my society appearances and Katerina remained unresponsive to my get-well notes. However, a letter from my dear friend arrived at the footstep of my door by Bilyana. She looked panicked with noticable dark circles under her eyes, panting for air. "M-My lady!"

"What is it?" I asked wearily, exhausted from another day with my demanding mother.

"Miss Katerina wished for you to read this before coming. I am to wait here until you are done before leading you to my miss."

With a suspicious look, I took it from her hands. The letter was in her handwriting and it appeared strained, difficult. A few teardrops stained the paper but I could read the scribbles of her frantic words. My mouth was slightly open in anxiousness when I finished and I wordlessly ran out of my bedroom. Fortune was on my side when Mother was not in sight when I made for the front door. She would have my head at the sight alone of my brute manners. I was impatient to reach her in the carriage, but I could only imagine Mother's scolds at my unladylike actions if word got around that I ran from my home to Katerina's.

The servants allowed my entrance almost immediately and Bilyana led me to Katerina's chambers. When I opened the door, I was immediately concerned at the sight before me. Katerina was in her white nightgown, her curls of mahogany tangled and her eyes pink from hours of crying. She was on her knees and I crouched down beside her, wrapping my arms around her shaking figure. "My dear Katerina, what has happened to you?"

Bilyana closed the door behind us, eyeing the hallways with distrust. Most servants loved to gossip as much as their masters. Katerina clung to me, not realizing that her nails were digging into my exposed flesh. "I-I had not heeded y-your warning! Oh, the s-shame of it! Had I only l-listened!"

"My warning?"

"I-I apologize truly! I am sorry-"

"Katerina," I snapped, pulling her away from my chest to meet her watery eyes. "What are you speaking of?"

She burst into tears again, hiding her face in her slender hands. "I d-do not deserve such kindness. Always had I been d-disobedient. T-This is fate's malicious joke." With a sigh, I gently took them in my own and waited for her to calm herself. When she did, her dark brown eyes looked at me regretfully. "I h-have disappointed you, Varvara. I have b-betrayed your trust."

"In what way?" I asked gingerly.

Tears cascaded down her cheeks in small waterfalls. "I am pregnant," she cried aloud, "and it is Paskal's."

* * *

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2009

I woke up from my slumber, feeling anguish and anger from the remnants of another forgotten dream. Just as before, I found myself in an unfamiliar room. It was grander than my simple bedroom in Caroline's house and faintly reminded me of the penthouse residing in New York. It had high ceilings, smooth walls in the color of oak, and a musky scent of male cologne. . . . What? Cologne? I stretched to my left, meeting a pair of amused blue eyes. Saying I screamed was an understatement, and I jumped off the bed, smacking my head at the edge of the bedside table.

"_Ow!_ Ouch! _Damn_ it! That hurt like hell!"

He made a face as he rubbed his sensitive ears. "Tell me about it. You have a pair of lungs, sweetie. Imagine how it'll sound when you cry my name in total ectasy-"

_"Damon!"_ I shrieked, throwing a pillow that fell along with me to his face. It was a great aim, but he caught it before it smacked against his handsome face. "Shut _up_!"

"You're not a morning person, are you? Well, I'm not either but you know what today is, right?"

"The day you die and leave us in peace forever?" I guessed a little sarcastically.

"There's no originality in that statement." Damon rolled his eyes, but he looked amused. "Do you not remember anything from last night?"

I froze on the ground, the night before coming to me slowly despite the throbs of pain at the back of my head. The explanations they had given me were like bucketfuls of ice cold water that they continuously poured over my head. _Talk about overwhelmed._ I had reached past that point entirely, but Elena - duteous as ever - was there to help me through the shock of all of it.

Stefan and Damon were brothers and vampires from the nineteenth century. Vampires were _actually_ among us. Only Elena knew what I was feeling - what I was experiencing to make such a discovery - and yet she accepted them as they were, monsters of the night with the desire to feed on blood. Then again, she accepted me too even though we had no clue what I was - witch, part witch, no witch? I had to make it very clear and slowly to them, especially that determined big head of messy black hair, that I was not a witch.

_Idiot._

The brothers told me of their beginning with Katherine Pierce, their sire, in eighteen sixty-four and how both of them fell in love with her. It turned out that Bonnie's ancestor, Emily Bennett, was Katherine Pierce's handmaiden, as well as a powerful witch. When the townspeople discovered of their existence, they weren't as understanding as Elena had been and hunted them down, collecting them and locking the twenty-seven vampires inside a burning church, including their beloved Katherine.

Damon had told me of the deal he made with the witch - protection for Emily's descendants in exchange for Katherine's protection from the townspeople. Emily had succeeded in saving them by trapping the vampires in a tomb under the church, but was eventually burned at the stake when her secret was revealed. Since then, the vampires were still there. They were the voices Bonnie had heard two days before, moaning in hunger for blood.

I had glared at Damon when he told me that last night, saying, "What a great job you're doing, Damon. How is irritating Bonnie to her wit's end protecting her?" I remembered he had only smirked in reply, ignoring the disapproving stares from Elena and his brother.

When I plopped back to the bed, I answered, "Yes, it's kind of hard to forget Damon."

"Good, 'cause I'll be needing a partner in crime."

"For what?" I asked incredulously. I had said I would keep their secret and move on with my life, but I still wasn't sure of my place in all of this.

Elena and the Salvatore brothers were looking for Johnathan Gilbert's journal which gradually led onto the whereabouts of Emily's grimoire. In it held the spell that unlocked the tomb and Damon's happily ever after. To be honest, it surprised me at first that Damon went through all the odds for this girl - Katherine Pierce. He was in love with her, that I could tell, but he also seemed to glance at Elena when he thought people weren't looking. Both brothers claimed that Elena looked exactly like Katherine, which was creepy since they also said Katherine never had any children.

"The journal, Char, we need to find it." He told me a little impatiently. Damon pushed me off the bed and to my feet. "I realized Stefan and Elena were a team and got jealous, so now I'm claiming you as Damon's. You are now welcomed to shower me in gratitude."

"I'm not a thing to own," I muttered, annoyed with his antics. "And I am not yours."

"C'mon! It'll be fun."

"Find someone else."

Damon suddenly appeared in front of me, scaring me in the process. I had forgotten that they had special abilities in addition to their rapid healing. "Sweetie, there _is_ no one else. They either know what I am and don't like me, or they don't know what I am and they're incredibly annoying. You're the only one I can stand in this godforsaken town right now."

_I feel so special_, I thought with dry humor. "Annoying like how you are right now?"

"Most girls would say I'm annoyingly hot so no, not _my_ kind of annoying. You set?" He asked, eyeing the pajamas I borrowed from Elena. She had her own drawer of things in Stefan's room; yep, their relationship had progressed into a full home run.

I shot him a disbelieving look, yanking the covers over my bare legs. "I didn't even say yes. I am not going to say yes so just give up already."

"Why?" He whined like a child. "We're pretty hot together anyways. We'll make quite the pair . . ."

_Leave it to him to act like this._ I let out a groan when an idea popped into my head. "What if I make you a deal?"

"Ooh, I like deals, especially when-"

"Yeah," I interrupted with a wave of my hand. A grimace settled over my facial features. "I don't need to hear _that_. I'll help you with the journal if you stay away from Bonnie and Caroline. Leave them alone and in peace - Bonnie from your threats and Caroline with her relationship with Matt. I think you've made them frustrated long enough."

He made a face. "But I like it-"

"Damon." I mocked, "One time offer."

A smirk threatened to escape his lips as he stared at me for a long moment, considering. "Now I really like you, Char." Waiting for him to accept my raised hand, I arched an eyebrow, curious to how he'd respond to my challenge. I really didn't care either way but was ultimately relieved when he finally shook on it with a grin. "Welcome to Team Damon."

"Right. Congratulations to me. Now get out. I'm going to get ready."

"You sure you don't want me to stay-" Damon winced when I smacked his wandering hands off my body and shoved him out of the room with a little extra force called wind.

_"Get out!"_


	9. You And Then I

_This is another chapter full of hard work and a lot of thought. I was kind of procrastinating with Heidi's story. I mean, I have ideas but I too am not immune to writer's block. Review or comment if you wish, if not, then maybe next time:) I'd very much appreciate it! I'm really excited in going through with the story now that Chardonnay is aware of the existence of vampires so there will a lot of moments with Damon, Stefan, and Elena - more so than usual, but then there won't be much things with Bonnie, Caroline, or Matt sadly. Even Winslow won't have that many parts for a while. __Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! -_Lady Shiri

**Chapter Nine**

**You And Then I**

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2009

I changed into Elena's clean clothes, a little disappointed at what I saw in the full body mirror. Plain straight jeans, a light pink tank top under a V-neck dark green sweater, and simple brown flats, I literally looked like Elena from afar despite the difference in skin tone and hair color. I kept my ring and choker on, holding on to my word with Sheila. Stefan and Damon had informed me of the effects of vervain for any vampire I would hopefully not come across and that the jewelry Elena had given me were filled with them. The plant fought against the effects of compulsion, a frightening ability that every vampire gained in transformation. It was frightening to think that there were so many possibilities of having been under compulsion throughout the years before and _not_ even know it.

_At least we are safe now._

Honestly, I was a bit touched that Elena thought of Winslow's wellbeing and had given her a big hug, surprising them in return. When Stefan had taken a look at my necklace, shock had appeared on his face before Damon nudged him from behind. They kept glancing at the piece of jewelry hanging around my neck with a mixture of conflicting emotions, but I had been to exhausted to ask anymore questions about their suspicious behavior. With another brush of the comb through my long auburn waves, I reapplied lip gloss before walking out of the guest room. I heard talking a few doors down the grand hallway and I was a bit impressed at the decor I saw.

At one entire side of the hallway, I could peer over the ridiculously lavish living room on the ground floor. I couldn't deny that they had great taste, especially after seeing all of this. A chandelier suspended in the center of the greeting hall with ancient self-portraits hanging at each wooden wall of the lavish waiting room. I eyed the second hall further ahead, noticing the fireplace. Knocking lightly as a warning, I pushed open the door to see Elena and a half-naked Stefan on the bed. Damon was sitting at the edge, tugging on the covers at Elena's side much to Stefan's annoyance.

"Char? You're awake!"

"Oh my, God." I turned around, not wanting to ogle Stefan's bare chest. If he wasn't all Elena's, I wouldn't have minded flirting in front of my friend plus Damon. Just because I didn't have a boyfriend, did not mean I didn't know how to have fun with a guy. "I did not need to see that."

I heard some movement behind me and an obnoxious laugh that definitely came from Damon, before Elena told me in an embarrassed tone, "You can look now, Char. You slept well?"

With an amused smirk, I replied, "You slept better apparently,"

A deep blush colored her cheeks. "Char," she hissed, flushing at the eyes on her.

"Thanks for the clothes, and the room," I said the last part to Stefan who nodded.

"Of course."

Stefan's bedroom was quite big and filled with polished wood furniture, old journals, and expensive interior designs. It reminded me of Father's study and a flash of nostalgia spread through my chest. I didn't notice Damon studying me briefly and I turned to him to watch his eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. "You look different."

"I look like Elena," I pointed out disapprovingly.

He shrugged. "No wonder I like it."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I rolled my eyes at his remark. "Thanks so much for that opinion. Now, what's the plan?"

Elena looked up in alarm, still under the covers. I _really_ hoped she was wearing pajamas. I may be friends with her, but I was still a prude about the _other_ things girlfriends gossiped about. "You're helping? Since when are you helping Damon?"

"I made a deal with the devil-"

"-and that will remain between us, sweetie," Damon finished for me. Stefan shot a look at his older brother for my benefit, worried about the secret deal. "Elena, you're a Gilbert and since we're looking for Jonathan _Gilbert's_ journal, well, you know the rest."

"Okay, we'll check at my house then." Elena concluded.

Stefan frowned at both of us girls, his girlfriend and his new friend. "No, um, wait a minute. You two don't have to do what Damon wants. I won't let him force you, Char, and whatever your deal is - I mean, you're not even involved in this. Elena-"

"It'll be fine," Elena assured him, sounding as if she was still trying to convince herself that. "Besides, Char will be lots of help."

"That I will."

"Good," Damon snorted lightly, smirking when he caught sight of my glare.

Stefan let out a resigned sigh. "Are we really going to take Noah's-"

"Noah?" I echoed with interest. "Who's he?"

Elena and her boyfriend exchanged troubled glances, but Damon just answered, "The vampire from the cafeteria."

_The one you killed and is now six feet underground? _Fighting back the need to swallow, I nodded. "Right, go on."

"How do we know he was telling the truth? How did _he _get the idea that Jonathan's journal has the location of Emily's grimoire?" Stefan continued when he saw hesitancy flash in our faces, "It should be in ashes by now when the townspeople burned Emily's cottage down."

"We don't have much of a choice," Damon argued impatiently. "We're talking about Katherine, Stefan. You may have Elena, but what about _her_?"

"You were there?" I gaped.

They nodded and for once, Damon looked solemn. Elena and I watched as a dreamy glaze coated their eyes as they relieved through their memories in their minds. They had watched Emily burn at the stake. A chill crawled up my spine and I remembered when Bonnie was possessed by her, Emily had told me of the name Varvara. I still hadn't looked up on that. My friend cleared her throat uncomfortably, bringing them back from the past and into the present. "Er, what is a grimoire?"

"A spellbook," I answered instantly. They looked at me with surprise. "I went to the Bennetts' place before. There are lots of them over there."

Elena sat up and much to my relief, she was wearing clothes. She asked curiously, "You can do spells?"

"Not that I know of."

Her boyfriend mirrored her moves and stood up with haste. "There was something about Noah-"

"What about that dimwit?" Damon asked, already wanting to leave. "He's dead."

"Damon, that _dimwit_ was working with someone - that much is obvious. Whoever he was with probably knows who we are by now." Stefan looked at me, his tone apologetic when he added, "Now that I think about it, even you Char. You're not safe alone anymore."

"Perfect," I muttered sarcastically. "So I'm in this whether I like it or not."

Damon grinned. "Now aren't you glad to be on my team?"

Fighting back the desire to shove him off the edge of the bed, I snapped, "Shut up. I'm worried about my little brother. Winslow doesn't even know _any_ of this - vampires, witches, or whatever the hell else is out there."

"Did he know about you?" Elena asked.

I nodded. "Of course. I needed _someone_ to talk to throughout the years."

Stefan thought for a while. "It's up to you if you want to tell him-"

"Oh, c'mon Stefan!" Damon made a face. He stood up and towered over Stefan almost menacingly. Elena and I immediately rushed to Stefan's side cautiously, anxious of Damon's reaction. "That's enough human people to tell. First Elena, Bonnie, then Char, _now_ Char's brother?"

"He needs protection."

"You don't even know him," Damon sneered, his eyes suddenly glaring. "Later you'll be saying _everyone_ in a five mile radius will be needing protection too. I don't think your bunny diet's gonna help you at all with that, Stefan."

"You need my help," I taunted threateningly.

"Did you forget about the deal?"

Cursing under my breath, I quietly suggested, "Okay, then . . . he doesn't need to know about any of this, but at least watch over him like you do with Jeremy."

"Of course." Stefan answered instantly. Elena smiled at me, knowing how it felt considering Jeremy's safety into this whole mess.

"Great. Now that my younger brother has fulfilled his good act for the day, it's my turn to fulfill mine." Damon took hold of my elbow and led me out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "Field trip to Elena's house! Race you there!"

"Race you there?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow at his childishness.

"What? I like this foursome we got going on. Just don't ruin it." Damon was obviously the first one to arrive at Elena's doorstep. We spent the whole morning in her house, surprising both Jeremy and Jenna, the latter being who I had yet to meet.

Much to Elena's frustration, the journal wasn't in the attic. Jeremy and I immediately began a conversation afterwards about the dance when I had left so abruptly, but I managed to assure him that it was an emergency at home. They raised an eyebrow at my friendship with Elena's younger brother but used it to an advantage. After a few crafty sentences I usually used against people I disliked to make them unwittingly spill, we discovered that Jeremy had given Mr. Saltzman the journal. I felt guilty for manipulating one of my few chosen friends, but Elena told me it was for the best.

Stefan immediately left to get it, promising Elena and I that he wouldn't try anything drastic as killing him. Damon had rolled his eyes at us, but allowed Stefan to follow his own plan of retrieving it. "Saint Stefan," Damon had grumbled.

Honestly, I was shocked that Mr. Saltzman was getting pulled into this too, despite his moody attitude towards me; and I forced myself to think that it was mere coincidence. He _was_ a history teacher for crying out loud; there was nothing supernatural going on with him. _Thank God it was the weekend,_ I thought to myself as I plopped down at the sofa.

Jeremy shot me a questioning look before throwing a game controller at me. "You know how to play?"

I raised an eyebrow and threw it back. "If I say no will you laugh?"

He did so anyways and played by himself for a while, letting me watch. I noticed Elena and Jenna in the kitchen before joining us in the living room and gave Elena the console. "I'm getting a drink," I told her unanswered question in her eyes.

"The cups are by the fridge." Jenna told me warmly.

"Right, thanks." Aside from Sheila and Elizabeth, she too had shown me compassion despite not knowing me at all. I only wished Winslow was here to meet her too. He honestly needed parental figures in his life; having an elder sister to look towards to as a model figure, it wasn't enough for him to grow up with.

Winslow and Caroline had called me early in the morning before I got ready, questioning me about my sudden sleepover with Elena; Caroline whined at how unfair it was to not invite her and Winslow lectured me about not telling him sooner. Once it was just Caroline and I on the line, she immediately gushed on how Bonnie scored a date with Ben, the guy from Mystic Grill. I was a little impressed at her catch and returned her enthusiasm despite what was happening a few hours ago. Then my second cousin had excitedly informed me of the party taking place at the edge of the woods. She was taking Matt with her and offered me a ride when I told her I would meet her there instead, probably with Elena and Stefan.

With a few other words, we had finished the phone call after nearly twenty minutes of talking. I was beginning to miss hanging out with them after doing so for almost two weeks. Stretching, I noticed Damon in the kitchen as well. His smoldering eyes narrowed on my choker. "What?" I asked irritatingly. "You've been eyeing my neck like that since last night."

"Where did you get that choker?" He finally asked.

Wary, I instinctively reached out to brush the beautiful pendant that was firmly tied against the base of my throat. The familiar spark of heat flittered on my fingertips as if I was grazing my skin against a flame, sending warmth throughout my body. I was still not used to that. "It was a gift," I answered in a soft tone.

"From who?"

"Someone," I replied uncertainly. "Why?"

He opened his mouth to answer but thought against at the last moment, instead saying, "It's pretty . . ."

My lips twitched at his lame cover up. "Damon, if you're gonna lie to a liar such as myself, at least _try_."

"Aren't you the ever arrogant actress, hmm?"

Rolling my eyes in reply, I turned back to my glass of water and perched myself up at the counter. From there I could see Elena, Jeremy, and Jenna enjoying each other's company like every other Saturday they had in their lives. I could see Damon's surprise when he saw the jealousy in my eyes, but instead of asking why, he questioned about something else entirely. "Do you think I can trust him?"

"Mr. Saltzman?" I asked dumbly.

"Does it look like I'm friends with your history teacher?"

"If he's not _him _then it either has to be Jeremy or Stefan, and I know you couldn't care less of what Jeremy thought of you." I shrugged, ignoring his sarcasm and fighting back an embarrassed blush.

_Mr. Saltzman has nothing to do with this. _It kind of confused me as to why I was worried about his wellbeing, but quickly forgot about it when Damon told me of his short yet strained bonding moment with his younger brother. They were both willing to try again, but I had to agree with Damon. Elena and Stefan were definitely planning something. I could see Elena glancing back at us with discomfort and she quickly turned around when she met my eyes. _Like I had said, a horrible liar._

I inquired a little rudely, "Why are you asking me about you and Stefan? I have my own trust issues to deal with."

"You're painfully honest," he replied. _Why does everyone think of me like that? I am far from honest. _"And you somewhat understand me from what I saw on your face earlier. Daddy issues?"

"Is it so obvious?"

"No, but you cracked. I used to have them too if you're wondering."

"I wasn't. Damon, I don't know what's going through your brother's head." I looked at him to find his expression rigid with something similar to anxiety. "I may be a good at catching lies and telling them, but I wasn't there when you guys talked. I'm not psychic."

"What about Elena?"

My lips turned upwards. "Oh, she's so hiding something."

"And you?" He turned his head to my direction. There was a flash of gratitude in his face before it disappeared. "Can I trust you?"

"Er . . . you can't."

Instead of looking annoyed, he was curious about my answer. "And why is that?"

"Because I'm a fabulist," I answered instantly like it was obvious. There was a reason I was in theatre class, after all. "I'm great with deceiving people. If you want to find out if you can trust me or not, well, you gotta find that out for yourself. Or you'll think I'm lying to you too."

He murmured most likely for his own benefit, "Honest as hell."

Displeased, I fought back a frown and decided to disregard it. We went back to watching the family in front of us, each of us feeling our own lows before the doorbell rang. Damon and I opened the door to see Stefan wearing a rather grave expression. "It wasn't there."

Quickly, Elena joined us outside, closing the door entirely behind her. I honestly thought it would've been better to stay inside from the glare Damon was shooting at his younger brother. "What do you mean, Stefan? Who has it then?"

"I don't know . . ."

"What do you mean _you don't know_?"

Stefan rolled his eyes. "It means what it means, Damon. I don't know."

Before Damon could snap anymore, I reasoned, "It wasn't his fault."

"Now that I think about it," he began to pace in front of us. We exchanged worried looks at his scheming expression. "I have a feeling about that teacher. Mr. Saltzman, is it? There's just really something off about him if you know what I mean."

"He's just a teacher!" I defended, suddenly angry for some reason.

"He didn't seem to know anything, really," Stefan backed me up. "Did anyone else know about the journal - that Mr. Saltzman had it?"

The three of us glimpsed at the shut door, and from this distance, we could hear the video game from the living room. Elena gasped at realization. "W-What? Wait, no! He has nothing to do with this! Leave him alone!"

"Damon!" Stefan yelled after him when Damon rushed ahead.

Before the vampires could fight again, I sprinted and stood in front of the door. The brothers looked at me expectantly, but Elena shot me a thankful smile. "Do you not remember why I am here?" They seemed confused and impatient about my question and I continued calmly, "You, Damon, are tactless. If you want something done subtly, I'm the actress for the job." I glanced at Stefan before going inside the house. "Just keep Damon away, got it?"

Closing the door on them, I made my way to the living room and sat on the same sofa as Jeremy. It was easy to notice that Jenna had left for somewhere. "Hey Jer?" I had adapted his nickname by the end of breakfast an hour earlier, not that he minded anyway. We had somewhat become acquainted.

He took his eyes off the television. "What?"

I said carefully, "I heard about the history assignment on Mr. Saltzman's class. You see, he's doing this special extra credit for his junior students to catch up on whatever we missed and since I'm new, he told me it would help boost my grade. All the historical books from the eighteenth and nineteenth century are all taken though and I really want that extra credit - history's my worst subject. So I heard from Elena that you guys had some of your own stuff since you came from a Founding Family and I was wondering if I could borrow it."

"You're one too, you know that? Sheriff Forbes was born and raised here so if she's your aunt-"

_First cousin once removed, and crap. I totally forgot._ "Caroline has it and you know how she gets sometimes. She's doing the same assignment, but she doesn't like to share." And technically, I was considered a distant member of the Forbes Family through marriage since my mother was cousins with Elizabeth and not Caroline's father.

"Mr. Saltzman has it, remember?" Jeremy shook his head with a scoff. "You're, like, the third person to ask me about it already."

"Oh, right," I faked a frown. "Who else asked you?"

"My sister," he replied casually, "and Anna, that girl I told you about."

I grinned. "The weird pretty one?"

"Pretty _hot_ one, I guess." He nodded as he mirrored my grin and checked the wall clock. "Actually, she wants me to meet up with her at the grill sometime now. We're going to the party afterwards, I think - the one in the woods."

"Caroline told me about that this morning,"

"I heard the it's near Fell's Church."

Despite my better judgment in using him even more, the words just fell right out of my mouth. "Want a ride to Mystic Grill?"

Damon and I arrived at the restaurant with Jeremy half an hour later. Strange enough, Stefan and Elena had willingly stayed behind. They were surprised that Damon hadn't ruined my plans and peculiarly followed orders that weren't his own. Nevertheless, we sat a few tables away from Jeremy, silently offering him friendly support - or at least, _I_ was. Damon could've cared less. I glanced behind Damon for this Ben guy, but it seemed like someone else was working at the bar. "Who're you looking for?"

I shrugged. "Just some waiter. Remember that guy from yesterday?"

He frowned in agitation. "Hmm, he sure was annoying."

"You just don't like him because he stopped you from harassing Bonnie." I pointed out a little annoyed. _Why am I hanging out with the guy who was literally pestering Bonnie as his pastime?__ Oh right, the deal._

"Relax. I won't bother her anymore. You'll learn that I keep my word . . ." he told me when he saw my expression.

Before I could say anything, his eyes narrowed at the brunette that entered Mystic Grill. She had tan skin, almond-shaped brown eyes, and short dark brown hair. She looked like a freshman from afar and I watched with a slight smile as she talked to Jeremy more enthusiastically than he did with her. He said something back with a mixed expression of awkwardness and amusement, possibly not even wanting to be there. To my surprise, she giggled and flirtatiously flipped her hair back.

Honestly, this Anna girl had nothing on Caroline's moves. _Poor girl._

"I think that's Anna, Damon. A little plain, but good-looking. She looks cheerful enough if that's what Jeremy's looking for." I turned to him but was silenced at the hard expression on his face. "Hey, you okay?"

"That's not just Anna," he grumbled, troubled.

"What do you mean?"

"Her real name's Annabelle," Damon informed me, not knowing what to make of the situation. I didn't either by the way he was acting so solemnly. "She was there in eighteen sixty-four. I think she was already a vampire before I turned, but I'm just surprised she's here when she's supposed to be one of the vampires in the tomb."

My eyes widened in surprise. That meant Jeremy was flirting with a possibly old vampire - older than Damon, who was already a badass in his own definition of the word _vampire._ "Oh, hell," I muttered stiffly. Things just never went the way they were supposed to here in Mystic Falls and I was learning that the hard way.

* * *

-The New World-

1024

I was at peace.

The world felt like a slow daze - a dream, for the lack of a better word. The clear skies were a beautiful shade of blue above me and the sun showered my body and my face with warm, bright sunlight. Gentle, almost soothing winds passed by the meadow I was lying in, noiselessly rustling through the trees that swayed along with it. The fresh short grass were smooth in my fingers as I ran my hand across those I could easily reach. I breathed in the scent of sweet flowers, welcoming it in with a soft smile on my lips. Time did not mean much anymore. I could have stayed there for hours and not notice the sun inching closer to the west horizon.

With a light sigh, I turned to face my companion. His presence did not surprise me as much as before since his face was mere inches away from mine. If I had leaned any closer, we could commit a daring act I had no courage to pursue. He was always there at my side despite my internal struggles, watching me with his intense gaze. I did not fear it for I had no reason to, but I was mesmerized by the fact that his interest was held towards me so unwaveringly - a simple lowly creature attracting such a beautiful man.

I was once again sucked in by his gorgeous oak brown eyes. My heart picked up and a breathtaking smile grew on his lips, knowing full well that he was the cause of it. I did not doubt that he could hear it. He had heard the reactions of my excited heart times before. "Where do we lay?" I asked, my voice gently ringing in soft chimes.

"A meadow," he answered.

His alluring voice followed the echo of mine around the esoteric meadow, sending slight shivers down my spine. My companion did not miss my body's response and soon wanted more. His pale, cold fingers found the base of my throat, slowly dragging his skin against mine until he reached my collarbone. I sharply inhaled, overwhelmed by his boldness. From there he brushed the edge of his palm against my shoulder blades before repeating his makeshift triangle over again. Heat rose under the skin he touched and my heart began to race at his slow actions, the top of my body soon trembling under the delightful skims of his touch. These were actions given to one's lover, not one's friend. Was I his lover?

_I think not._

Shy, I turned my head away from him and closed my eyes in an attempt to calm my pounding heart, unwittingly exposing more of my neck to him than I had realized. This meadow seemed to have no edge when I studied them, a pathetic try to distract myself from this man. Past the cluster of trees held nothing but darkness. "Heidi," When my restraint broke, my gaze happily returned to his face once more. His right hand took advantage of my sudden welcome and slid upward until he cupped my left cheek. His thumb brushed against my bottom lip.

My voice worked again. "What is this place?" I wasn't distracted by its repercussion anymore for I was too aware of his presence to notice anything else around me. There were no meadow or clear blue skies - but only him and I. He was the warmth of the sun for me. I knew no one else who could make me feel in such a way like this.

"Freedom."

"I am . . . free?" I dared ask, my eyes widening.

His warm expression softened even more at the innocent wonder in my voice. "You shall always have freedom, my dear Heidi."

_This is a lie_, a voice taunted me.

My throat tightened as traitorous tears escaped my eyes. He only watched silently as they trailed to the ground, wiping one away with an gentle swipe of this thumb. "Such a thing to happen now-" I couldn't finish the thought and let out a quivering sigh.

_Open your eyes._

"Is it your heart that tells you such a thing?"

"It is what my mind warns me." My hand slowly reached out on its own accord to touch the edge of his sharp cheekbone, marveling at the smoothness of his face. His eyes closed at the contact, but I did not want to look away from his eyes. I pulled my hand away and jumped when he caught it with his own at terrifying speed, intertwining our fingers together. My stomach flipped at the change of atmosphere. It didn't seem like such a daze anymore. "It frightens me of the thought that you are not real."

_A fake of the reality._

"I am real as you are."

"Yet the questions remain," I whispered, frightened of the answer. _This is not a fact of existence. This is not reality._ My heart began to race again, but not for the reasons before. It was out of anxiety and the heavy weight of my newfound confusion. "What is this place? This is not a mere meadow of earth."

His hold tightened on my hand, reassuring. "You need not fear me."

"This is a dream," I said aloud in shock.

Witchcraft or dark magic, I knew not how nor why, but I felt separated with my mind. My body here and my body _there_ - in reality where true moments were lived and felt. At my realization, the edges of our picture began to wither into nothingness. Our place of happiness was fading and I did not know what to feel - sadness or relief. Raw instinct desperately told me to flee, but there was something holding me back here, to stay in this meadow and in his safe arms. It was the emotional attachment I felt for this man, the sole object of my affection.

One moment of meeting his gaze, I let out a slow breath. Gradually, the color and pleasantness of the day returned. The dream did not flicker as it once did and the meadow brightened once again. "Such magic," I heard myself saying.

"Tis not magic, Heidi. It is of my own power such a thing occurs." He watched my reaction carefully. "We are in a dream of my creation."

"A warlock, are you not?"

"No, I am much worse I fear."

"Then what are you, Elijah?" My tongue tingled as it rolled his name and I saw an upward twitch of his lips in the same occurence. I recalled my last memories of consciousness, remembering the twisted face of pain that Niklaus had shown me before darkness had taken over - demonic red eyes and skin colored of death. A tremble made its way over my body. It had been such a sight of horror and much anger. I did not wish to relieve it again. "You and your family are not human, that had been easy to comprehend, but what is it that defines the _unknown _beneath your human mask?"

"I worry that when I tell you, you will run away."

A small frown settled on my lips. Unable to handle his steady, honest gaze, I felt my stare drift from his handsome face and to our joined hands. They were shaped perfectly together like broken pieces of a puzzle, surprising me so. "I cannot help but act in circumspect ways. Forgive me for my intrusiveness, but why is it that you care for my thoughts? Why do you dread that you shall frighten me? You are only a stranger and yet I had noticed of your distraction in my presence."

"Indeed, I have been unusual since our first encounter. For any conflictions that I had caused, I must apologize."

My face reddened. "Do not apologize to me."

Elijah's face quickly turned to confusion, but something about his stare made me uneasy. It was like a predator eyeing its prey. "Why may I not?" When he heard my heartbeat quicken, a dark glint flashed quickly through his face.

"I am but a servant," I told him, "and you are a lord of high prestige."

"Jewels cannot compare to you, Heidi," he replied in utmost seriousness. "I can only hope in time that you will see what I do."

Hiding my face, I sat up. "Do not waste your words on me. I-I am not used to such compliments."

"Then through sweet whispers shall I take you out of your reserve," he suddenly tugged on my hand, causing me to fall into the case of his warm arms.

My eyes widened at our position when my body was pressed against his, the warmth spreading past his skin to mine. My ear was directly on top of his heart and I strained to hear the faint, slow beat of it under his layers of clothes and the hard muscles of his chest. Aunt Sylvia would cry in horror of such indecency. I struggled to move but his tight hold kept me still. Shocks of pleasure rushed down my spine when I felt his heated breath on the back of my neck, listening to him as he inhaled my scent. He was almost purring with delight and the sound alone made me want to stay still in our embrace until I realized what he was trying to do.

I pulled away with all my might, only managing to edge far enough to meet his face. Alarmed, I took in a sharp breath at the proximity our our faces, feeling the tip my nose brush his eyebrow. His dark brown eyes were compelling me to enjoy this moment. "Elijah," I breathed warily. With difficulty and a red face, I turned my head away. "You are distracting me."

"May I ask if it is working?" He asked, the warmth of his breath tickling the edge of my jaw.

_Yes. _I clenched my teeth together, determined to find the answers I wished. "Please do not confuse me any longer. If you truly wish for me not to be frightened, then tell me the truth. Ignorance is a comfort I will not accept anymore."

"A stubborn woman, you are." Elijah let out a rather low chuckle.

"Please," I glimpsed back uncertainly, showing him the resolve on my face.

"You will hate me, Heidi."

_He sounded so certain of it._

Having an urgent need to reassure him, I assured without hesitancy, "I could not if I tried," My tongue grew heavy at the words I blurted out so daringly; I was scared to speak another word under the humiliation of my slip. _What had I been thinking?_ Elijah didn't seem disturbed by my words, but actually welcomed them with a growing smile. He succeeded on confusing me once again. _What is it that Elijah wants from me? What is it that I could offer?_

He collected his thoughts in silence and I shyly took that time to admire the man I was sitting on so intimately. He truly was a handsome fellow; the perfect curve of his lips were temptingly near, but I refrained from acting on things that were far from my usual ways of thinking. Never in the past years I had lived would I imagine myself encased in such a tender embrace, or in a situation like this. Would he do this again when I awoken? My stomach flipped at the audacity of my thoughts. I was becoming somewhat bold in this substitute of reality. When he spoke his next words, my jaw hung open in unadulterated shock.

"I will need assurance of your promise," Elijah told me gently, looking up to my eyes. His arms had a steady hold on my waist as I sat on my knees at his hip, my hands supporting the weight of my body on his shoulders. I easily towered over him as I looked down at his earnest expression. "Become my lover."

"E-Elijah!" I spluttered, my whole body suddenly heating at his touch. I had longed to hear those words to come from his lips, but I did not expect my dream to become somewhat reality. I tried to escape but his hold on my waist only tightened again. "W-What has gone t-through your thoughts t-to make you demand such things? What h-has gone through y-your head at all?"

He didn't look embarrassed at all and met my stare evenly. "My only selfish want is for you at my side and the words I speak are not lies, but the truth. If you accept, then I shall answer your questions to the best of my ability."

My mouth opened but my voice faltered at the first syllable. When I finally collected my composure but still shaken, I murmured a little dejectedly, "You ask of such titles with all the wrong reasons."

Instead of looking offended, Elijah let out a light laugh. "You truly are innocent, Heidi. I am not shallow to ask things of a girl for horrid reasons as to quench your curiosity and promise your silence." He ran his hand up the side of my body until it drapped over the back of my neck. I quivered with pleasure. "I have not desired a woman as I do with you. If I must say it between our ears alone, then I shall. I wish to be with you."

"Y-You do?" I squeaked, overcome with emotion.

"Yes." He answered without hesitation. Only sincerity and warm affection showed on his face and nothing more. Tears sprung in my eyes again, but this time, it was out of joy and not anguish. How did I catch such kind gentleman in my grasp?

"You do not lie." Amazingly, I had felt the truth of his words, needing no other reassurance.

He looked amused as I began to trust his claims. "I will not lie to you for my benefit."

"Y-You will not push me to things I am not ready for?" I inquired, unsure.

"Of course not," Elijah murmured soothingly. "I would not be a man of honor if I did such a horrific thing to a girl I claimed to care for."

_Run_, was what a voice ordered me.

_No! _I did not have the strength to do such a thing anymore. Tatia had been correct those few days ago. Once I was ensnared, I did not want to leave willingly at all.

But what was Elijah's secret? Was I being naive in trusting him too easily? Was it worth the risks? When I let myself enjoy the moment, I found myself caring less and less of Aunt Sylvia's or Yvonne's words. For the very first time, I did not care for their opinions. I was exceedingly happy despite the rest of the things that were left unsaid for now. Charily, I ran my fingers through his long soft brown hair. It was like wavy dark silk that fell to his shoulders in soft waves. Elijah leaned into my hand silently, a quick flash of nostalgia crossing his pale features.

_You will regret this_, the voice hissed. _You do not know everything._

Ignoring it, I leaned forward; I was unable to push down my desire for my first kiss and I could not imagine any other to have it. My sigh fanned over his face as we locked stares at the other's mouths, our intentions clear. Ever so slowly, our noses brushed against each other's before his lips whispered delicate kisses on mine. The moment our mouths touched, I knew the dream had ended and I had awoken. I was lying down on a mattress, my limbs stiff and weary from the lack of use. The sunlight had faded from my eyelids and the scent of flowers were replaced by the heavy smell of books and wood, but I barely paid attention to the differences in our surroundings.

Elijah kissed me. And I was kissing him with the same light ardency.

He was patient enough to know that I was not ready for passion most lovers acted out with each other and respected my space, but he too knew of my curiosity with the field I had no knowledge of and tested my limits skillfully. Moaning against his mouth, I felt my heart - my real one - beat faster at the sweetness and innocence of it as his body hovered over mine. This moment of ours was honest and true and without a doubt, it not a dream held in the inner chambers of my mind. This was my reality at his side.

_No_, I thought with determination. _I will definitely not regret my choice._


	10. Stolen Doubts At Midnight

_Happy 165th birthday for Bram Stoker {November 8th} - the original author of Dracula! Just had to mention it since Vampire Diaries is about vampires and he literally wrote one of the first vampires in history. Review when you can! Your comments mean a lot to me, no matter how short :) and they tell me whether I'm doing a good job or if I'm losing the **bam** in my story or what. Chardonnay in this chapter is going to be following the original plot for a while so there isn't much to do with her story but think of the dialogue and I'm sure you guys already read hundreds of fanfictions so I'll try to make it as different and unique as possible - if I can. There is a lot of dialogue in this update. Double digits baby! Whoo! Enjoy it, read it, review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Ten**

**Stolen Doubts At Midnight**

-The New World-

1024

It was a kiss of life.

Flows of energy sprouted from our connected lips, down to my throat, and throughout my entire body. It was as if I was drinking cool refreshing liquid after being under the hot sun during hours of hard labor. Despite my past timorousness, a puissant impulse flooded through my veins like rapid fire and I bent weakly to its will. The darker side of me wanted more of this strength and his power. Using my newfound stamina, my hand snaked around his neck and pressed his mouth harder on mine with untrodden urgency. The softness of his kiss turned urgent. If I had been in my right mind, I would've blushed at my venturous act.

Elijah was hesitant at first, but eventually returned my zeal when my free hand slowly slid through his thick locks. He too was overcome with appetence and his growing kisses were tinged with a touch of longing that I could not comprehend. His body was pressed on top of mine and his hands that rested over my head trailed down my hips, causing me to sigh against his mouth; his lips incredibly soft, gentle, and yet demanding. I was not pitiful Heidi anymore. I didn't feel any shyness of my past personality. It had been replaced by pure intrepidity to seize what I wanted, and I wanted Elijah.

I nibbled on his bottom lip, shivering with anticipation when he let out a rumbling low growl. It sounded inhuman. Drawing back, Elijah breathed on the edge of my jaw, "Heidi, do not tempt me any further if you desire me to continue respecting your wish."

His words were like ice cold water splashing on my face. I was waking up from another daze and I immediately jumped away, red in the face. Pitiable Heidi had control once again. "_Oh!_ M-My apologies! I do not know what overcame me to do s-such a thing. I did not mean to act hypocritically."

Despite my embarrassment, I noticed my body was humming with rejuvenated energy. I felt like I could've done anything with the endless power in my fingertips, letting my heart pound in excitement. My vision seemed brighter somehow as I stared at his face and in the room we were in. I remembered this room to be Lilly's chambers with the large wooden bed, antique dresser, and shelves full of sentimental trinkets. When my gaze timidly returned to Elijah, he brushed my hair off of my face.

His palm gently caressed my cheek as he assured, "It is I who should say such things. I had expected your reaction and had thought myself very much controlled to handle the consequences."

My eyes widened. "You knew of my response? And yet you continued despite the humiliation I would feel?"

Elijah tilted his head to the side, his dark brown eyes inquiring. "Do you have your doubts, Heidi?"

At the sound of my name in his voice, I blushed. He had called my name before, but not with the tender tone he used now. This further strengthened his fresh claim as my lover and my heart was beating at an uncontrollable pace. "No, I do not but my confidence of my place will only go on for so long. Will you tell me what I wish to know now?"

"Such anxiety is not becoming of a new lady," he murmured almost teasingly, "but there are things you must be informed of first."

"What is it?"

"Do you know of the time that has come to pass during your slumber?"

I frowned when the joy from his eyes faded away. Cautiously, I questioned, "How long has it been?"

"Eight days have gone and went."

My mouth dropped open in shock. "Oh, my . . . Eight _days_! Elijah, I had my suspicions but this is far too much to accept! I had thought it was one or two nights! The dream only felt like mere moments."

"It is true. Dreams do not hold the concept of time warmly."

"What had you done to nurse me well for _eight moons_ without water or supper? What had you told Aunt Sylvia and Uncle Johan to allow them to keep me here? What of Magdalene, Emanuel, and - _oh, my!_ What of Yvonne?" Then I remembered who had my main concern those days ago. "What of _Tatia_? How does she fare?"

"I had been honest in the past, Heidi," Elijah said to me seriously. "My family and I had bought your freedom from Emanuel and Magdalene."

It took a few moments to take in his words. "T-That was not a fable?"

"You may act of your own will Heidi. You are to serve yourself and no one else."

"Y-You-" I couldn't even form the words. My dreams of becoming my own master and working for my own name had came true. There was a nagging feeling of shame that I had not been able to accomplish my goal by myself, but I couldn't refuse such a gift. Aunt Sylvia would reprehend me if I became too prideful to accept what we both worked hard to reach for so many years.

_I am finally free._

My response might have been overdue and I couldn't help myself as I met his expectant expression. My arms wrapped around his strong shoulders, burying my face at the base of his neck. I filled my lungs with his musky scent and enjoyed the closeness of our bodies. "Thank you, Elijah," I managed to whisper in appreciation.

He ran his hand through my untied hair. Someone had combed the tangles away while I had slept, leaving it straight and tidy. "If it was in my power to do so, I would have done so earlier."

"I am thankful for _now_," I pulled away, "but you have not spoken about my family. What has happened with them?"

"Emanuel had only allowed for your release, but your family remains as they were before."

I let out a sigh, fighting back the tears that pooled in my eyes. Her words had rang true and yet I ignored this part of her warnings. I had been blessed enough and I didn't have it in me to ask for more, for I would only dishonor my aunt if I became too selfish or too dependent on others. Still, I wished their freedom. "My aunt has already spoken to me of this before. As a child, she had warned me of the possibility that I would leave her and Uncle Johan. I did not believe it until now."

A small but rather sly smile graced his lips. "You received her blessing days before."

"What for?"

He silently took my hand in his. "It had taken time for her to accept, but she cares for your happiness."

As flattered as I was for Elijah to ask Aunt Sylvia's permission for our sudden relationship, I was worried for Elijah's sake. Unnatural or not, Aunt Sylvia was known for her protective personality, especially when she saw me as her own child - not her sister's. She was a woman to fear when her family was in danger. "She did not react drastically to the news of your plans?"

His lips quirked upward. "Several things had happened during her time to consider your future, yes, but they shall not pass my lips."

I allowed myself to smile, before it slipped away again. The feeling of guilt washed over me when I realized that I had forgotten the wellbeing of my only friend. _How could I have not remembered sooner? _The last I had seen her was the day she supported me for my feelings of Elijah. Would she be proud to know that I had grasped the man who claimed my every thought? "Then what of Tatia? Do you know of your brother's plans with her?"

"Heidi, Niklaus does not take other's thoughts into consideration above his own. I had taken Tatia back to her home and remembers no such visit you two made eight nights ago. She believes you are ill and taking residence alongside my family and I until further news."

"May I visit her?"

"Later," he answered vaguely, "but you must expect that my brother will not leave her be."

"What is it that he wants with her? I fear for her safety."

Elijah shook his head. "That is a story for another day. For now you know that she is safe, as is her daughter, Charlotte."

"Then what had he done to her, Elijah? Tatia would have never, er," my face began to heat up at the next topic of conversation, "share her bed with a man she did not know."

"Is that what my brother told you?"

"It is what he alleged," I continued in an embarrassed tone, "or I might have been mistaken . . ."

He smirked but mercifully did not utter a word of my naïve blunder. Instead he stood up and offered me his hand. "After a long time of sleeping, I can only presume that you wish to take a walk around for a while."

"Will you be joining me?"

"If you would allow me to," he replied.

"Of course," I answered though my voice couldn't go higher than a whisper. Here I had accepted his offer with my conditions, waken up from a bizarre yet incredible dream to kiss the man I was falling for, and now I was reviewing my actions with a heavy conscience. How was it that I could even look him in the eyes? I was humiliated by my contradictory behavior. Taking his hand, a strong rush of giddiness rose to my head and made me stumble on my next step. My legs were asleep after days of lying down.

Crashing into his chest, I heard him scold me with a chuckle, "There is no rush. Do not harm yourself with your lack of patience."

I discreetly took in a deep breath of his musky scent to calm my nerves and slowly regained the feeling of my limbs. "I am better, Elijah. I must thank you for your tolerance in my questions for I must have sounded demanding and ungrateful."

"It is understandable." Elijah raised an eyebrow when he saw me glancing down at my clothes. I noticed the change of gown I was wearing. It was much fancier compared to the plain dresses I was given. It was in the color of dark green with longer sleeves and softer cloth. "My sister had done it for you during your slumber. No other man had touched you other than I."

Blushing at his choice of words, I forced my voice out. "E-Elijah, our conversation has yet to finish."

The smirk didn't stray from his face. "You would not be Heidi without your care for your friends. I know you worry for Tatia, but there are other fates at play. Someday you shall understand."

"Soon, I hope," I muttered under my breath.

He seemed to have heard what I had said with a raised eyebrow. Silent, he opened the door for me. Fearing that I would fall, I did not dare to release his arm as we walked down the hallway to the greeting hall. I looked to where the incident had happen with a nervous expression. The stains from the fire were still there, charing the wooden walls with ash. The corners of the hall were completely bare of furniture and the like. "I am sorry," I told him sincerely before we left the house. Elijah followed my gaze. I hadn't realized that his smile had already faded the moment we were outside. "My anger had gotten the best of me."

"It is but my brother's fault, Heidi. He knew of your capabilities, but yet he did not tread carefully."

"Are they not mad?" I sighed with relief as real sunlight warmed my face, welcoming the breeze that went our way. He led me to the back garden. It was filled of flowers of different colors and space to run and breathe. The dream had been mesmerizing but it was no match compared to the real thing. "I worry of Rebekah especially. I heard she is not as forgiving to those who cross her or her family and I can only hope not to be the object of such dislike."

Elijah looked strangely pleased at my question. "My sister has her sides as we both do. I can assure you she does not hate you."

"Are you certain?" I questioned again uncertainly. "What of Henrik? I had learned to like his cheerful nature in our short moment of meeting."

"Tis not time to think of such worrisome things," he told me dismissively, but Elijah seemed tense at the sound of Henrik's name.

I jumped when I heard his brother's voice behind us - and it was not Henrik's. "Yes, Heidi dear, do not waste time on such dark thoughts. Is it not a lovely day? Continue to live life with the ignorance you have been given. Tis not a burden, but a gift."

We turned to see Niklaus standing behind us. His bright blue eyes were clear as ever and his skin had regained its youthful glow. He miraculously healed from my attack as if he hadn't transformed into a beast days before. The words slipped from my mouth before the man beside me could speak, though I was not sure if Elijah approved. "Niklaus, I truly am sorry for my actions several nights ago. Had I not lost control-"

"It had always been my intention to awaken that side of you, but it had been my fault that you were not warned - so the apologies must come from me," he inclined his head slightly at his words. "I had clearly forgotten to never underestimate you, no matter what face you wear."

My face scrunched up in confusion. "Pardon?"

Niklaus grinned a little sardonically. "Elijah has not informed you of everything yet, I suppose. Forgive me, my brother, for I did not mean the slip of the tongue."

"You never do," Elijah retorted unhappily.

"What is it you two speak of?"

Elijah hesitated before answering, "Everything shall be explained, Heidi."

His younger brother turned to me. "I have yet to tell you of my regrets on how we were introduced."

"Oh, I could not hold a trivial thing against you," I replied with certainty, pushing back my fear for his anger. "You were aware of our differences in status as was everyone else, but now I am free. I shall forever be grateful to you, Elijah, and your family. For without your generosity, I would still be a servant."

"You need not pay us in return," Elijah argued. There was an unnoticable edge in his voice. "That was not the reason we bought your freedom."

"It _is_ rather nice to hear," Niklaus pointed out. "You shall learn from her, elder brother, that I too can act on kindness and humanity."

"What a discordant jest, Klaus."

Something dark flashed across his face before Niklaus smiled too innocently for my liking. "I had come in search for you, Elijah, for Rebekah has need of your help. It seems she has needed your assistance in the woods with Henrik."

"Tis not the correct time,"

Niklaus rose an eyebrow. "The things needed are already set. Why wait any longer for what I have been patient for these many years?" His blue eyes slid to me. "I will remain. She will not be harmed by my hand, I assure you. You forget that Laelia was once mine."

"She is not Laelia." Elijah snapped, his cool mask breaking in the surface. It frightened me that he was acting indifferent to most things once we were in public. Did he not feel comfortable showing emotion to those other than his family and I?

"Neither were the rest of those who had died years ago. Need I mention their names?"

Elijah's expression turned stoic and he faced me stiffly. "Will you be comfortable with waiting?"

"If you must leave, then go."

He glared at Niklaus as if it had been his fault for my decision and left in a blink of an eye. I jumped at the speed of his leaving. He had yet to tell me what they were, but I wondered why it had been easy for me to trust that they would not cause me harm. They were mysterious - part of the unknown. _But so are you_, the voice whispered in my ear.

"Would you care to finish your walk?" Niklaus offered his arm. I stared at it for a second too long before slipping my arm through his. My heart was racing again and Niklaus noticed with a sly grin. "Calm your heart or I shall be tempted."

I edged away, already uncomfortable with his intense gaze. "You gave Elijah your word."

"Mistakes can happen, love," he replied easily. My heart skipped a beat in fear, but I did my best to relax. When the silence grew too much for the both of us, Niklaus observed, "You are confused with what we are, are you not? Would you prefer to wait for your answers or do you not care if it came from one such as myself?"

I bit my lip unsurely. "You, er, are of the same nature?"

A laugh escaped from the man next to me. "We were once human, yes, but that was a very long time ago."

"How long, may I ask?"

"Too long . . ."

My eyes widened and I stopped in the middle of the garden. "Are you immortal?"

We separated from each other and he faced me, eyeing me with interest and amusement. Niklaus took a step closer, but I instinctively took one back. I had been a servant for many years. Several habits would be difficult to overcome, especially speaking to one regarded with high respect and awe. "Yes, we are indeed immortal in your sense of the word."

I glanced down. "You cannot die?"

"Everyone dies, Heidi dear."

"But you claimed immortality," I argued.

"We are merely the nearest beings on earth who can live for eternity."

"Merely," I echoed in sudden fascination. "You cannot _die_!"

Niklaus smirked at my reaction. "Are you not afraid of me? Do not your instincts tell you to flee from some_thing_ such as myself? I am dangerous, so are Elijah and my younger siblings. I am only waiting for you to understand that."

"Then what do you expect after?"

"You shall run away."

"You declare yourselves monsters, but you have helped me - a lowly servant to a horrible mistress. Did you not feel pity? You say you are dangerous yet you speak to me now. Patronizingly so, but you do not make a move to injure me." I looked away from the ground and to met his stare. "You spoke of a girl earlier and of the day we met. Laelia, was her name?"

Niklaus was not impressed. "Twas only a ruse."

"If I may be so bold to disagree, I saw passion in your eyes as you spoke of your beloved. A monster would not feel such things as-"

He suddenly wrapped my neck on a tight grip and slammed my back against a tree. I let out a pained wheeze when his hand began to squeeze the air from my lungs. We were suddenly at the edge of the garden, under the shade and away from the sun. Niklaus' face was ashen gray once again with his teeth - no, his fangs barred at me threateningly. "Love? Is that the emotion monsters should not feel?" He sneered, "Do not claim to know me. You may have her face, but you are not the Laelia I once knew. You may have been right about one thing, Heidi. I _do_ pity your soul and for the life you are cursed to live at each lifetime."

What did he mean of those things? I began to dig my nails into his hand. "L-Let go!"

"Are you yet frightened of me now?"

My eyes began to water. "_Yes!_ I admit I-I am scared Niklaus! I am terrified!"

His grip loosened and I fell to the floor, gasping for breath. His voice was harsh but melancholic as well. "You shall always be afraid, Heidi. That was never a surprise to learn."

With one last cough, I pulled myself to my feet, clinging to the barks of the tree he had slammed me to. The energy I claimed to have this morning was gone. Rubbing my bruised throat, I saw the frustrated look he wore. "W-Why a-are you still here?" I wheezed out.

His eyes narrowed. "What is it that you mean, love? Have I not proved my point? You shall be running for the hills once I turn away from you."

"No, _you_ have proved _mine._ Whatever you are, you still feel. No matter how you fight, you cannot fake indifference for someone your passion is directed to. _I_ saw it and you cannot make me think otherwise."

"What I hear are the words of a girl who will run-"

I managed to snap after another needed intake of breath, "I shall not run away. I have been afraid for years in my life and it has only been recently that I took a stand. So I shall not back down anymore! As much as I fear you and that of what I don't know, I am also sad for you. You lost just as Tatia had."

Niklaus stared at me intently, surprised at my words. I too did not know what had led me to say such things. If he truly was immortal, who was he to follow advice from one who had yet to fall in love? "I suppose I had suffered while my brother gained. Did you not know of his loss?"

Filled with confusion, I frowned. "He had another?"

"Two others, love," he answered mischievously. His lips twitched at my shock and hurt. "Ask him of Berenike. He will not be able to evade the matter anymore."

I was silent after that, lost in my thoughts. Berenike sounded foreign and strange in my mind. Who was she? Did Elijah love her? Of course he had, but who was the other girl? His first lover . . . When Niklaus neared the forest, I called out in panic, "Where is it that you are going? Are you to leave me?"

"Stay in the house," he answered over his shoulder, "or follow me. Tis to you, Heidi. I had recently realized the mistake of my words and I cannot remain here."

Stupefied, I gaped at his audacity. Had he not told Elijah that he would watch over me? It seemed silly that after being threatened, staying near him made me feel somewhat at ease under all the tension in the air. Quite contradictory really. What of Lilly and Haldor? I had yet to see them. I glanced at the empty house then back to where Niklaus had disappeared. Where to go? Making my most impulsive decision yet, I ran after the blue-eyed blond. _"Wait!"_

* * *

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2009

"Char. Wake up."

"Hmm?" I stirred as I was being pulled away from the dark embrace of unconsciousness, but other than that I stayed still. My bed was unusually cold and flat, uncomfortably hard against my body.

"Char," a familiar voice gasped. "Get up!"

My lips let out sigh. I felt my face scrunch up in confusion, feeling light-headed when I was suddenly shaken. Two firm grips on my shoulders tightened when I did not open my eyes. "Is it serious?" I heard another girl ask.

"She might have a concussion. I don't know, Bonnie."

A sudden stinging took my attention at the side of my head, my second head injury on the same day. _These vampires were going to be the death of me_, I thought lethargically. The sound of the faucet ran a few feet away, warning me, before water was splashed into my face. Painful shots of water went up my nose at my position and I spluttered, bolting straight up and smashing my right temple against someone's chin.

_"Ouch!" _The girl cried out in pain.

"Seriously?" I whined, my voice thick from sleep. Rubbing my face dry with my sleeves, my head began to ache with more pain. "I need these brain cells, you know."

Her voice snapped, "This isn't the time to be joking around!"

I blinked repeatedly before my vision cleared somewhat, finding myself in a rather small bathroom that was completely white with plastic titles, a tiny bathtub, and a plain oval sink. The mirror on the door was rusted at the edges of its frame as I stared at my horrendous reflection. My tan skin was unusually pale, my eyes bloodshot and weary, and my hair ruffled into a birds' nest. In my original clothes, I could've pulled a look that _screamed_ hungover and high strung, but in Elena's sporty outfit, I looked like crap for the lack of better words.

"Jeez. I look awful."

Bonnie, who was sitting over me and holding the shower curtains away, rolled her eyes. "Be serious, please."

I finally noticed Elena crouching next to us, leaning over the edge of the bathtub. Glancing down to see that I had ended up with the bad side of the coin, I realized with much displeasure that I was lying down on the filthy bathroom floor. "What the hell am I doing on the ground!?" I more or less screeched, pulling myself up to my knees.

_"Char!"_ My friends hissed.

My eyebrows furrowed together. "Where are we?"

"Kidnapped-"

_"Kidnapped!?"_

"Oh, my God." Elena muttered in exasperation. _She_ sure had a long day.

Bonnie took a hold of my hand comfortingly, reaching down from where she sat. "Calm down, Char. Keep a cool head like you always do and we'll get through this." When I nodded drowsily in reply, she asked, "Now what do you last remember?"

I thought for a moment and made a face as I concentrated. How did I get here? I had been in the Mystic Grill with Damon and Jeremy before getting a text message from Bonnie to meet her outside, claiming that her date had been a bust. Slipping outside to the alley as a shortcut and away from Annabelle's attention, I had only taken a few steps forward when something struck the back of my head - the very same spot I had hit it this morning against the bedside table. When I told them this, I added angrily, "Hurts a lot too. Am I bleeding?"

"No, it looks fine, but I didn't send you a text. It must have been Ben. He took my stuff apparently." Bonnie then looked at Elena in sudden alarm. "It was _Ben_! I can't believe I was so stupid to fall for it."

"Your date?" I clarified.

"He's a, er," she raised her eyebrows, "you know . . ."

Elena wore an uncomfortable expression. "Char knows already."

Her eyes widened as her gaze flickered between us unbelievingly. "_What?_ Since when?"

"Last night," I replied coolly as a small flash of guilt went through her face. "It was a big surprise, especially when you and Sheila didn't even tell me after our talk two days ago!"

"My grandmother didn't want you to get involved in this," Bonnie defended with a frown. "Witches are always sucked into these matters and end up dying for their mistakes. Most of their lives revolve around them, exchanging favors with what they could do with their powers for whatever the vampires could offer in return during their unnaturally long life."

"So you're basically saying it's a high risk exchange?"

"My grandmother knows you're somewhat special and she wanted me to watch out for you - that's why I didn't tell you. I was protecting you, Char."

Almost instantly, my glare softened. "Well . . . your grandmother said the same thing to me Bonnie. The thing is, how can _I_ protect _you_ if I don't even know what the hell is going on in this town?"

She looked surprised. "I don't need protection."

"Neither do I," I retorted with an unattractive snort.

We shared a small smile for each of our benefits. Elena cleared her throat, glancing at the door behind her uncertainly. "I bet we're here because of that grimoire and the tomb under that church."

"Did you find Johnathan Gilbert's journal?"

A look of remorse flashed through Elena's face. "Yep, we found it alright. Stefan and I got to the grimoire first until Damon took it." From her dark expression, I could tell Damon had done something idiotic and desperate to piss her off. I watched her gaze gradually turning inquisitive. "He was looking for you, Char. I guess he had a feeling that something happened to you."

Catching her tinge of jealousy, my lips curved down. As horrid as Damon was, Elena really didn't have the right to be envious of his relationship with any girl; even with mine when there was nothing going on. "You don't like him, do you?"

Elena scowled immediately. "No, why? Do _you_?"

I scoffed in disbelief. "Please, that would be like dating myself. I think Damon and I are too alike to have anything romantic going on."

"What grimoire are you guys talking about?" Bonnie asked, reminding us of the situation we were in again.

"It was Emily's spellbook," Elena replied with ease, immediately bouncing back from her confused moment. We exchanged a meaningful glance as a silence agreement to leave those thoughts of her envy as they were. I didn't want to be the one to push her to the edge and she didn't want to accept whatever it was she felt for Stefan's older brother.

"You know that place where you heard those voices? Near the Fell's Church?"

She nodded at me. "What about it?"

"That's where the tomb is," I answered with a troubled look directed to Bonnie. "I have a really bad feeling that they need a witch involved in this. They need one to cast the spell that unlocks the tomb."

"Of vampires?" Bonnie muttered, aghast. "You knew of this yesterday?"

"Last night," I corrected, not appreciating her accusing tone.

"There's no way I am going through with it,"

Elena shook her head. "I don't think you'll have much of a choice."

The bathroom door suddenly slammed open. All three of us flinched and jumped to our feet. Ben was at the doorway, wearing an obnoxious smirk - though that was hardly annoying compare to Damon's. At least this one made me want to smack it right off with a good left hook. "Your friend's right, witch. You _don't_ have much of a choice."

We stood our ground as a three-girl team. Although we were frightened and panicked out of our minds, we were determined not to satisfy his sick pleasure of watching us squirm and tremble with trepidation. Provoked at our resistence, Ben walked inside and leaned closer to Elena. She moved away only to see him turn off the faucet beside her. His smirk grew when she stepped closer to me and I impatiently yanked her arm to pull her behind my body. "I'm not doing it," Bonnie snapped.

"There's things called leverage, honey," he sneered at her before grabbing Elena and I by the shoulders and shoving us out. He slammed the bathroom door behind us and I let out a curse. It did not go pass Elena, but she didn't scold me like she usually did; she must've been thinking the same thing.

"So you're Elena Gilbert," a voice declared in front of us.

We both looked up to see Annabelle. Her narrow dark brown eyes were on my friend before they flickered to me with newfound interest. "And you are Char. What's that short for? Charlotte?"

"_Ha!_ My name's more original than that," I muttered with a roll of my eyes.

She shrugged, not really caring. "You look like her, Elena. I'm not really impressed . . . honestly. I don't understand why the Salvatore brothers make such a big deal about you. Maybe you're just the life-size copy of the original. They could never get enough of her, if you _catch my drift_."

"No, I don't." Elena ignored the insult and asked, "Who are you anyways?"

Annabelle raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised Jeremy hasn't mentioned me yet since he's your younger brother. We're dating."

My friend paled. _"What?"_

"Last time I heard, you were more of a fan," I said aloud.

A look of annoyance crossed Annabelle's face. "You're Damon's leverage, Char, not that all important so I suggest you keep your mouth shut."

_Damon's leverage? _I repeated with disbelief to myself. Since when was I connected to the dark-haired vampire in any way? We were both cynical, sarcastic, even a tad bit paranoid when pushed to the edge. "Just saying," I murmured innocently.

When a growl escaped the vampire's lips, Elena yanked me back and toward the bed; we were trapped in a cheap hotel room. The cheap wood of dressers were to one side with a small television and two queen-sized beds, the green carpet dirty from the poor cleaning. "Shut up," Elena hissed at me before sitting rigidly at my side. If it had been any other day, I would've snapped back, but I knew she was at her wit's end and stayed silent. "Why do you want to open the tomb so much? I thought you didn't like Katherine."

"I never said I didn't like her. I _hate_ her." Annabelle crossed her arms on her chest, leaning against the covered windows. "I don't think I know anyone who even wants to see that horrible excuse of a woman ever again - maybe except for Damon, of course. That idiotic fool."

"So what's your story?" I asked bluntly, ignoring Elena's warning look.

Annabelle took a glimpse at us with a frown. "Katherine just couldn't keep her business to herself when she played with her human toys despite my mother's warnings. They were friends, you see. When the townspeople captured Katherine in eighteen sixty-four, they captured my mother too. So, really, my mother spent decades in that godforsaken tomb because of her past loyalties to that bitch."

"You're here to get her out then . . ."

"I'm sorry," Elena said as earnestly as she could. Her mom had died in a car accident, taking away the times they could've spent together by now away from any possibility. She and Jeremy had lost a lot recently.

I found myself saying, "I'm not."

The two girls turned to me, one amused the other in disbelief. "And why not?"

I shrugged, speaking of my mother for the first time in ages. "My mom's a drunk and couldn't care less about me or my siblings. She hasn't for a decade and she obviously won't in the near future. I didn't grow up with mine, but I ended up fine by myself." I could see Elena eyeing me at the corner of my eye with concern; I had never told her about my family other than Winslow, so to hear me speak about someone she didn't know about interested her.

"Yeah, well, I need mine." Annabelle was suddenly at Elena's side with her phone in her hand. "Can I borrow?"

Elena moved to get it, but she didn't have Annabelle's speed. "Don't-"

"Relax," She rolled her eyes and dialed a number, pressing it to her Her lips twitched. "Ah, Stefan."

We both perked up at his name, catching a few parts of her conversation until she demanded deviously, "It's going to be so much fun to be hanging out again. Like old times, hmm? Just meet me in the public square in the middle of town." After another pause, she smirked. "Oh, no, Stefan. That's not how it works in my book. You don't find me. _I'll_ find_ you_."

She tossed Elena her phone back and called out to Ben, "I'm leaving. Watch them. Use violence on them off if you have to." Annabelle eyed our vervain jewelry with distaste. "Compulsion definitely won't work."

"I can handle these girls," he assured her.

"You wish," I mumbled challengingly.

Ben growled at me in agitation, but Annabelle, on the other hand, fought back a smile. "Just don't underestimate them, got it?" When he nodded, she slammed the door behind her. Elena flinched beside me at the sound. Pointedly ignoring me, Ben's attention flickered to Bonnie.

_Good, __I don't like you either._

"I guess you're the only one who's able to do the job. Powerful witch, she said . . . Please, I'm not really blown away." Bonnie only glared at his taunting, refusing to budge. "What about long life expectancy? Any longer than humans?" When he didn't get an answer, he suddenly yelled, "_Hey!_ Answer me!"

Our friend jumped on her seat, taking the spot away from both Elena and I. "Yeah, I guess. I don't know . . . but we can still die." She answered quietly in a strained voice. "Satisfied?"

"Tremendously," he retorted, his words dripping with sarcasm. Ben shook his head disappointedly as he plopped into the sofa across from us. "Then what's the big deal with witches? Just humans with a bag of tricks."

Miffed, I interjected, "Do you have any water? I'm parched." This guy was pissing me off.

My friends turned to me with brightened eyes as if to say, _good idea. _"Yeah, me too," Bonnie picked up hastily.

"You're not the only ones. Want to tap a vein for me? Especially you," Ben looked at the dark-skinned beauty with a leer. "I never tried witch before."

Damon had claimed the same thing. What was different to their blood with regular humans? What would mine taste like? With a sneer of my own, I snapped, "Stick to blood bags like every other _modern_ vampire."

With his own mutters about hating to be the babysitter, he threw the water bottle at Bonnie. She broke the seal and I focused on Ben, specifically the water in his body. To my horror, I realized it wasn't the liquid that I was targeting but the blood. _How the hell did this happen?_

He suddenly stiffened as he fought for control over his body - so much like Noah in the cafeteria, and was thrown against the opposite wall. Bonnie splashed him with water and it caught on fire, much to my surprise; the heat could be felt from our distance impressively. She had her own _little _tricks up her sleeve that I had yet to know about. We made a dash for the door, yanking it open with an echoing bang. I was hot on Bonnie's trail and caught a sight of dark brown hair in the distance. Out of nowhere, there was a cry of pain behind us, and we whirled around in dread.

Ben's hand was squeezing dangerously tight on Elena's throat. "Get back in here," he growled menacingly. This time, I took his theat seriously. "Come in the room and close the door_ now_!"

"Wait . . ." Bonnie hesitated. Freedom was so close, tempting. "Just don't hurt her, Ben."

_"Get inside already!"_

With heavy hearts, we did as he said and locked the door when he raised an eyebrow at us, challenging us to do anything different. "Happy?" I blurted out as all three of us shared disheartened looks. I was already weak from the blow to my head, Bonnie was anxious with what they planned with her, and Elena was noticeably afraid for all of us. Plan A had failed and plan B was far ahead of us. _How are we gonna get out of here?_

"You really pissed me off-"

There was a sudden slam of an open door behind us. We all jumped around to see Stefan standing there, his green eyes turning dark when he caught sight of Elena's position. Sunlight poured into the room, making us turn our heads away for a moment. Ben let out a pained scream and instantly retreated to the shadows of the hotel room. "Stefan!" Elena cried out in relief, running to him instantly and hugging his center.

He briefly allowed himself a moment to take in her calming scent before pulling away from her. He scrutinized at Bonnie and I with worry. "You girls should get outside. Take Elena with you."

His girlfriend hesitated. "Aren't you coming with us?"

"I'll be right behind you,"

I called behind me, agitated. "Putting a girl on the bathroom floor - go to hell!"

"Char," Stefan scolded, rolling his eyes at me. With a frown, I followed my friends up to the doorway, watching them near Stefan's car, but stayed behind to listen. Stefan raced forward and kicked Ben in the stomach. He rebounded against the table, and I oddly found a sense of pleasing vengeance at the scene. There was an awful crack of bone breaking, and Ben curled into a moaning ball on the carpet, letting out a hiss when his arm got caught under the sunlight. "The moment it's sunset, you will leave town. If I catch you here in Mystic Falls ever again tomorrow on afterwards, I will kill you. Make no mistake on that."

"You could've kicked harder . . ."

"Char," he nudged me forward, somewhat interested in that suggestion. "Let's go."

"I bet Elena would find it a total turn on if you acted like that. You should try that on her sometimes." I grinned when I caught a faint blush growing on his cheeks. "She'll might finally listen to whatever you say."

"Shut up," Stefan grumbled rebukingly. "We need to head over to Sheila's before nightfall."

"What's after nightfall?"

He looked unsure. "Anna's making her move. I think she's going to try opening the tomb tonight."

"What about Jeremy?" I asked warily.

An eyebrow rose on his face. "What about him?"

"She's hanging out with Jeremy at the party tonight," I told him as I slid at the backseat. The smell of leather didn't feel comforting as it did when I was a kid, always making me recall the long drives Winnie and I had taken through New York, particularly at night. Such a sight . . . "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Don't we all?" Bonnie murmured.


	11. By Another's Beloved

_Thanks for reading this far and for any potential reviews I will receive! No pressure at all. When I signed up for an account in this website, I almost chickened out and this story wouldn't have happened. I am so relieved I didn't breakaway and that I'm able to write for the lot of you! To other news, you saw a darker side of Heidi that she's slowly becoming aware of and that the brothers already know of - but how I wonder? __A small part on Heidi's story at the bottom with a very moody Niklaus. I'll explain a little about his actions in the next update if you don't understand. Any Heidi lovers anyone? Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Eleven**

**By Another's Beloved**

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2009

I sipped on the tea Sheila had given me. It was her way of comforting us through the short but troubling kidnapping; no big deal. A frown settled across my features. Who was I kidding? I got _kidnapped_ by two vampires on the first morning I discovered about their existence, all because I had been stupid enough to go through the back alley. I hadn't known it wasn't Bonnie, but still, I should've had common sense to stick with Damon - no matter how his big head was at risk on getting stuck on each doorway he passed. At least he wasn't trying to ignore me - no, wait, I liked being ignored a little better. That was the only good thing that upped Ben from the elder Salvatore.

Elena almost got her windpipe crushed if Stefan hadn't arrived in time and how does fate congratulate us? By forcing us to choose on an almost impossible decision between opening the tomb or leaving it as it is and facing more than just Annabelle's wrath. "I'm not doing it!" Bonnie argued.

"Ugh . . . please." Elena let out a frustrated sigh when she remained firm on her stand. "Yes, I know that, Bonnie, but what other choice do we have?"

"Do nothing!"

"Char just told me that Anna is with Jeremy, as in _right now_. Who knows what she's gonna do to him if we don't open the tomb?"

"What about the twenty-six vampires, huh?" Bonnie pointed out as she stressed out the number. To her irritation, Elena appeared to be unfazed by it. "They are going to be released into the town if I do this and _everyone_ will be in danger. Two's already enough in Mystic Falls! Four is too much and now you want _thirty_!?"

"But Bonnie-"

_"No!"_

Stefan, Sheila, and I were watching them argue with cool expressions. They must've had their own opinions about this and waited for the girls to let their steam out for a while; it would do them good in the long run. Personally, I didn't know what to make of this. Damon was an ass, but he too deserved a little happiness. Then again, I didn't like him that much and twenty-seven vampires - now twenty-six due to Annabelle's appearance and her obvious freedom - were too high a cost to risk just for one girl. I was still having a hard time to accept the four I already met and now there were going to be almost thirty more after the day was over?

_No thank you._

"He doesn't deserve it, Elena!" Bonnie replied to something I didn't catch.

Undecided, I turned to Sheila. This was only our second meeting and my third day of knowing her, but I was already attached like how cats were to milk. She was a grandmotherly figure that I never had a chance in having in my childhood since both grandparents from both sides of our family were long dead. "How did you find us?"

She glanced at me. "There are a lot of things that can add to witch's power. Emotions, such as complete anger or happiness, are one of those things."

"I bet you were mad," I guessed, leaning back. Stefan, who was standing behind the couch, mirrored my grin at the thought of Sheila as an angry witch. She was always composed most of the time, honest with who she liked and disliked, and did what she had to to protect Bonnie and herself - possibly adding me to the mix as well. Sheila looked at me differently compared to how she acted towards Elena, the vampires, and even her own granddaughter. I really believed she would protect me - a young stranger, but I wondered _why_. The longer I thought about it, the more I realized it had something to do with what I was.

A smile of her own grew on her lips. "You can say that, Char. I presume Bonnie told you of the locating spell she tried to do three days ago? It's rather simple."

I nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry about this, really. You were fine with living a regular life until I moved here. Now it seems like you're getting sucked into this too without a choice of your own."

Stefan lost the amusement on his face and looked down at us in guilt. He believed he was to blame for this as well, more so than I. "It's not your fault. Neither is it yours, Stefan. Like I'd said to Bonnie before - no matter what a witch does for precaution, they are always pulled into messes such as these." She put her teacup to the low coffee table in front of us. "I had a feeling something like this would happen soon."

"Did you know?" I asked her with a guilty expression. "About what I did in the cafeteria? And just right now in the hotel room?"

She raised an eyebrow at me. "Char, I'm an old witch with sharp intuitions. I'm not a psychic."

My cheeks reddened. I was stereotyping her the same way Damon had to me. _Damn, I guess we really are similar._

I began to twist the ring on my finger nervously and Stefan took note of it. He looked surprised, to be honest, since he hadn't seen me behave this way before. "I controlled the blood in his body, Sheila. It wasn't the water. I'm sure of it, and it's something you told me not to do." I murmured silently and caught Stefan's reaction at the corner of my eye. His eyes had widened in incredulity and his lips were wearing a frown. He had seen what I did at school, but he believed it was more on telekinesis that witches commonly used as a defense mechanism.

When I risked a peek at her face from under my eyelashes, Sheila didn't look disappointed. She seemed a little glum, but she actually appeared to be understanding. Before she spoke, she poured more hot tea into our cups, testing my patience. "Influence over blood is not a mediocre gift, Char," Sheila warned me. "In fact, you're the only one who I know of that has ever gained a commanding gift in present time, or in the past for that matter. I'm not mad that you liberated your power over blood since you were protecting your friends and my granddaughter. I'm just worried that it will lead to more than that."

My eyebrows furrowed together in my confusion. "What do you mean?"

She looked hesitant at first but at the determined look on my face, she yielded. "I'm worried that you will begin to see the glamor of such control."

"Like I would like it?" I translated in disbelief. "I wouldn't - I _don't_."

"I know that," Sheila assured me, picking up on my uncertainty, "but things will change in the future for better or worse, and I hope you know where you stand then."

Drowning my drink, I was silent for a while. I didn't really know how serious it was to have power over someone's body until now. It had always seemed so far-fetched before when I had practiced this art in New York. Would I ever turn against my friends? _Not if I had anything to say about it_, I grumbled to myself. A new determination to learn about what I was and what I could potentially do swelled thickly in my chest. I had to know to protect Winslow, Caroline, and my friends properly; and to do that, I couldn't be ignorant of my legacy anymore. With confidence, I was sure I was ready to know who I really was - prepared in other words.

"Char?" Bonnie called.

I looked up, realizing I had been in thought through most of the conversation. Elena and Stefan were heading for the door with grim faces and Sheila was collecting things from her shelves, running her long frail fingers past her things with sad but resolved eyes. Bonnie, in particular, looked like she ate something sour and rotten. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "We're getting things ready for the spell. We're gonna try opening the tomb."

_"What?"_

"I know," Bonnie sighed, pulling me to my feet from the couch. "Damon's going to be the way he is with or without this girl."

"They think he's going to stop being an ass just because of his long lost girlfriend?"

"Language," Sheila scolded a few feet away.

"Sorry," I blushed.

Once her grandmother left the living room to get more supplies elsewhere, Bonnie muttered distastefully, "The power of love working on Damon? As if." We exchanged meaningful glances before we helped Sheila with the things to the car.

I sat at the backseat beside wooden bowls, a couple of filled jars, and blackened torches that looked pretty old. Bonnie quickly parked the car at the edge of the forest and we had to walk the rest of the way to Fell's Church. I was very thankful for the sneakers Elena lent me or I wouldn't have made it past the tricky roots and trees during our walk. I hadn't been to Fell's Church yet, but I wasn't the least bit impressed with the aged ruins that looked as if it would crumble with one strong push of a hand. We stood in front of what looked to be a sealed doorway in the middle of a courtyard - or what at least used to be a large room.

Not really wanting to get in the way of their concentration, I watched as they prepared for the spell. The faster we got this over with, the faster we could move on from this nightmare. Sighing, I noticed loud music from a distance if we were quiet enough. "The party's over there," I informed them with a pout.

Bonnie raised an eyebrow at my obvious longing. "It's just a party. There'll be more."

"Yeah, but this one's with a lot of booze-" I didn't dare finish that sentence at the sight of Sheila's sharp look and hastily improvised, "er, you know, my brother and Caroline. I haven't spent much time with them today."

She stifled a laugh when she saw her grandmother shake her head at me. "Nice save."

"Shut up," I mumbled. I hadn't been drunk since New York. From all this stuff happening with the supernatural and opening a _tomb_, I desperately wanted the buzz alcohol gave me.

When Elena and the Salvatore brothers arrived half an hour later, Sheila had finished the preparations and Bonnie looked anxious with foreboding. Damon was holding the book in his hand and a blood bag was bulging out of his pocket, the spell that would start this whole mess just snug in his hold. His mesmerizing blue eyes slid to me after appraising the scene before him with disinterest. He crossed his arms over his muscled chest, his eyebrow raising challengingly at me. "Oh, Char. Good to know you didn't drop dead this morning. Wouldn't want to break that _deal_ we made, huh?"

Sheila and Bonnie looked to me questioningly, but I frowned at Damon. "I got kidnapped by Anna, you jerk. And I _did_ help you. Jeremy would've told you nothing this morning if you stormed in there with your questions blazing at him. What were you going to do if you lost patience with him afterwards? Compel him to forget after you snapped? I don't think Elena would have liked that at all."

Damon smirked. "Touchy, touchy this evening, are we?"

Sheila raised her hand out. "Give me the grimoire,"

The smirk immediately left his face. "Don't try anything," Damon warned.

"Even if I did," she began as she took it from him, "you wouldn't be able to do anything about it."

He suddenly appeared behind me with his vampire speed, his hand brushing the back of my neck lightly. I cringed away. The action was so casual, but it held a hidden threat plain in sight. "Are you willing to risk it?"

Her eyes sharply narrowed at his figure and I jumped completely away to Bonnie's side when Damon abruptly let out a pained yell. He crouched to the ground, holding his head between his hands. My hand grasped Bonnie's; even if Damon was an ass, I didn't want to watch him in pain. "Bonnie say something," I hissed, but it was useless. My friend looked grimly pleased at his torture.

Stefan took a step forward, opening his mouth to say something when Damon suddenly straightened up. He was breathing heavily and glared at Bonnie's grandmother. "If I didn't need you for this-"

"Don't finish that," I advised warily.

"No, please do," Bonnie taunted, eyeing him with a spark of anger in her eyes.

Stefan yanked his brother back, hissing words into Damon's ear. "Be good. If you keep messing around, you'll have to wait even more to see Katherine again."

Damon made a face but backed off. Assured that he would behave, Sheila turned to me. "You can help Bonnie and I with the spell."

"How? I thought I can't cast spells."

"Energy, of course. You don't need to know how to murmur a few words." She moved me to the center of the courtyard where she had made her marks on the ground. "Our ability to transfer certain amounts of energy comes handy during very difficult spells. Since you're somewhat similar to Bonnie and I, you'll be able to offer assistance."

I met her gaze with determination. "What am I?"

All eyes were on Bonnie's grandmother since everyone else wanted to know as well. She asked me simply, "What is it that you can do?"

A little surprised at the question, I shrugged. "I can control wind and water, but every witch can do that."

Sheila shook her head. "I noticed your connection to nature alone is powerful compared to even the strongest of witches. You may not have the ability to do witchcraft or the like, but you possess unnatural amounts of pure energy; if I am correct, you'll be able to channel it to me though I'm not sure to what extent. To those who desire much power for devastating spells, you will be seen only as a socket to their plug."

Thrills of fear shot down my spine. "So I'm a what? A walking generator?"

"Much more rare than _that_," Sheila corrected me. "You are nature itself. Its _mortal_ form."

Bonnie and I exchanged confused glances. "What do you mean by that?"

With a small smile, she said in return, "I will explain later but for now, trust in my words."

Looking past her shoulder, I met Elena's confused stare. She offered me a reassuring smile, but it didn't lift the dread in my stomach, especially when I noticed the brothers' astounded look on their faces. They had composed their emotions a minute too late for my anxiety steadily rose. What did she mean that I was nature's mortal form? _Impossible_, I thought in reply. I understood my unbreakable link to nature itself, but I was not _it_; I wasn't that important at all and if I was, my parents should've paid more attention to me.

_Just saying. There is no way in hell I'm _that_, whatever it is Sheila believes me to be. _Without another word, I clasped hands together with Sheila and Bonnie, letting my ears fill with their strange foreign mumblings; the words sounded like Latin. My hands began to tingle and warm. I could gradually feel the lost of power in my body, but I was strong enough to support Sheila when a tremor ran through her.

One after the other, a torch was lit and it didn't take long for all four torches to set aflame. Much to our fascination, it was icy fire; the tip of the torches were crystalized with thin layers of white frost. We eyed the silver heartbeats quivering inside their resplendent cocoons of different blues. Mesmerized like moth to heat, Elena took one step closer to our quadrilateral until Stefan pulled her back to shield her from the fire's flare. It was without warning; the fire had become uncontrolled and swirled above our heads in fervent circles - a serpentine dance of heat and excitement until it burned out into nothing but smoke.

We all stared at the broken seal in front of us. A pentagram had engraved itself into the stone with other small etchings, silently marking that the tomb was open and the spell was broken. Bonnie's hand tightened on mine. "It broke," she declared waveringly, breathless from the spell.

"Of course it broke," Sheila said to us. Another tremor ran through her frail body but she kept her strong act. "I had no doubt. We are Bennetts with a good friend."

"I didn't do much," I reddened at her compliment.

It was a rather thrilling experience to be an extra power source for the lack of better terms, despite feeling a little weak. Was this how every witch felt after doing such impressive spells? It was a shame I couldn't do them myself, but then again, I wanted all the normalcy I could get for now. I wasn't sure how to feel about opening the tomb that held a lot of hungry vampires and couldn't help the scowl that settled on my face. We were putting everyone in town in danger for one woman, honestly hoping she was worth all this trouble.

"Got the gasoline?" Damon asked his younger brother.

Stefan disappeared into the forest without a response. "Gasoline for what?" I found myself asking.

"We're gonna burn the rest in fire," he answered. "Destroys them without having to rip out their hearts one by one. Gotta say, it saves a lot of time."

"Right," I mumbled, squeamish at the thought of more blood on the floor. Last night was enough for me.

We watched warily when he walked up to Elena, grabbing her elbow and pulling her with him nearer to the tomb's entrance. "What do you think you're doing?" Bonnie demanded. Her hold on my hand had stiffened, making my fingers turn red in discomfort. Elena fought back of course, but she was no match for a vampire's strength.

"You must really think I'm stupid. I'm not going in to have it closed behind me the moment I step inside." Damon growled at us warningly. His arms wrapped around her chest and waist, pressing her back to his chest. Her dark brown eyes were wide with alarm, but she wasn't sure what to do and squirmed in his hold.

"Damon!" Sheila thundered. "I will bury you under layers of rock if you take Elena there."

His lips turned to a nasty smirk. "You'll bury me anyways, won't you? I'm not taking any chances with you, witch. I don't trust you - no offense Char."

"I never gave you any reason to," she snapped, her eyes burning with anger. "I did what I did to protect those innocent. You are far from that."

"Clearly," Damon retorted. He reached for one of the torches with his free hand. In my aggravation, the fire broke out around the handle, centimeters from scorching his pale fingers off. "Char, play nice." He shot me a glare when Bonnie wore a smirk, pushing aside the worry for her friend for a short moment. He called over his shoulder as Bonnie and I helplessly watched Elena faded into the shadows of the tomb, "Expect me after I retrieve what I came for."

"What should we do?" Bonnie asked frantically.

Sheila let out a weary sigh. "We can only do what we can."

I opened my mouth to suggest something completely idiotic to lighten the mood when there was a snap of a broken twig somewhere nearby. Night had settled in easily around us and I could see nothing but the dark woods. I whirled around to catch sight of a small, nimble shadow pass the entrance. "Did you see that?" I asked the two witches.

Bonnie managed a nod. "Who was that?"

"That was Anna, Char. She passed me from the party over there." Stefan replied from behind. He had returned with the gasoline tank. I watched silently as his face turned into one of confusion. "Where's Elena and . . . Damon?"

"He brought her inside,"

"He _what_?"

When Stefan made for the opening, Sheila warned him before he was completely gone, "We only opened the door, Stefan. We didn't break the seal."

He stopped in his tracks, looking at her with realizing green eyes. "What do you mean? What did you _do_?"

"The seal is still there," I repeated blankly.

"It keeps vampires from getting out, a safety precaution so to speak." Sheila affirmed.

"Elena's not a vampire so she'd be able to get out. Katherine and Damon aren't human. _I'm_ not either." He shook his head solemnly. "Y-You weren't ever going to break the spell. This was a trap, your own agenda."

Sheila didn't look guilty and met his accusing stare with a glare. "I will protect my own. You know that already. All that matters is that Elena will be safe after this."

Much to my horror, Stefan kept on his direction. "Stefan!" I found myself saying. Bonnie's hand tightened around mine in assurance. "This spell is temporary. If Elena is still in the tomb, we'll try to suspend it for now so she can get out."

"I'll find her." He nodded.

It was only a few minutes since he left and I felt a little dizzy, staggering to the side from my stance. Sheila and Bonnie must've felt it too when they both let out a tired groan. There was a rough sound of rock grating against jagged stone, and we looked to see the engravings fading away. I immediately latched on to their hands once more. "I-It's closing," Bonnie uttered. The fire on the torches, except for the one that Damon had taken, acted out once again. The heat of it was almost unbearable when it crossed inches from my face.

The experience of opening the tomb compared to _keeping_ it open was different. It was much more difficult, like pushing against an immobile brick wall. No matter how furiously Sheila and Bonnie said their Latin words, the stone door was inching shut. I concentrated harder; I did not understand a word they were saying, but Elena and the Salvatore brothers were still there. Sheila believed we could do this so I had to try - give it my all if I could. All three of us were leaning against each other now, our bodies almost drained and weak.

A shadow flashed by again. _Anna?_

"Char! Bonnie!" Managing to open my eyes, I saw Elena standing next to us. She was pale from fright, but didn't seem to be injured. "What is going on? What's happening?"

"It's closing!" I cried out over the witches' chanting.

Her mouth opened in horror. "Stefan! Oh, my God." She turned around, watching as he tried to fight against the invisible shield behind her. "You went inside even when you knew you wouldn't come out? Why?"

"You were screaming. I thought you were in danger. Argh, I shouldn't have left you with Damon."

Bonnie glanced at her grandmother. "We need to fix this, Grams. Please."

She staggered forward. "They need to hurry. This spell won't hold long either."

I let out a pant as Stefan went back to get his brother with amazing speed. _Damn Damon. _Before I could breath out another word, Elena followed her boyfriend. It didn't take long for a shot of coldness to seep into my body. It chilled my very insides, literally freezing over my heart. _I feel so heavy._

Forcing back those thoughts, I decided to focus on the situation at hand and listened to the unfamiliar words that sounded like an echo of a frantic lullaby. The witches' chanting wavered as the torches did. _A connection . . . _I struggled when Sheila began to hang on my side feebly. "We need to keep it up," I heard her hiss through her clenched teeth.

"I can't!" Bonnie whimpered.

"Hurry the hell up!" I roared, squeezing my eyes shut under the weight of our efforts.

_Bam!_

With that sound alone, the weights were lifted off from my shoulders. The next time I opened my eyes, Elena and Stefan were thankfully inches away from the closed doorway. My gaze moved further away from the courtyard and I saw Damon by himself, his head down in dejection. It looked like he was mumbling something but before I could find out what it was, Sheila fell to the floor with Bonnie following close afterwards. They had finished the spell. "Grams! Are you okay?"

Sheila managed a nod. "I'm only tired, Bonnie."

"She just needs rest," Elena told Bonnie with a hopeful look. Bonnie didn't turn to Elena, her attention solely on her aged grandmother. I was beginning to suspect that Sheila was not strong enough to endure the spell for that long and my scowl deepened on my face.

I bent down to my knees, rubbing Sheila's arm soothingly when she trembled from exhaustion. "Let's just get you home, Sheila." With another nod, she allowed us to help her to her feet. I looked up again to find that Damon was gone. Stefan and Elena walked behind us, making sure to be ready if Sheila were to slip from our grip. "Where's Katherine?"

Stefan shook his head. "She wasn't there."

Bonnie whirled around, outraged. "We did this for _nothing_!?"

"Bonnie-"

She didn't give Elena a chance to explain and started to walk again. I shot the couple an irritated look. As much as I wanted to stay impartial, I also was pretty pissed that our efforts were for nothing. Sheila was exhausted and I was sinking into a bad mood. Obviously, Damon was not going to react well to this - waiting for a woman in a tomb who was never there in the first place. Where the hell was she then? Ahead of us we spotted a body on the ground. "Jeremy!" Elena gasped.

"What? Jeremy?"

She dashed to her brother while Stefan lingered in-between two people he felt concerned over. "Is he okay?" I asked Stefan.

He nodded. "Jeremy has a heartbeat. He was knocked out, that's it."

We separated from the couple to take Sheila to the car while they took Jeremy home. Elena promised to come by as soon as she could. Despite being worn out, I offered to drive since Bonnie's hands wouldn't stop shaking. The effects of the spell weren't as hard on me as it was on both of them. I had to agree that it was a lot to go through in one day - for all three of us. _And to think my life was somewhat normal three days ago._ My past worries had been what dinner to eat with Caroline and Winslow and now, I couldn't really look at things in the same way. I took my time as an ignorant teen for granted and I would never get that back anymore, particularly when Anna had a vague idea of what I was. How would this affect my family then?

"Are you sure about me driving?" I asked Bonnie, arching an eyebrow. "I never drove before . . ."

"It's either you drive or we stay here over night. I just . . . I can't talk to them right now, and I'm channeling a bit of energy for Grams." She said firmly, "Besides, just keep your eyes on the road and try not to crash."

"This is illegal," I muttered. "But I gotta love your confidence in me."

Bonnie repeated, "Just don't crash and I'll _keep_ having that much confidence in you."

"Keep hoping," I retorted, wondering how the hell I got myself into this mess. The first half hour was agony, but I slowly got the hang of it; it also helped that I barely went above fifteen miles per hour and the road Bonnie instructed me to take was empty of cars or witnesses.

Shakily, I glanced at the rearview mirror, my heart pounding at the sight behind me. The ever strong Sheila looked drastically different as her head rested on her granddaughter's lap; she lost the look of her strong spirit and strength in other words. I clumsily parked their car in front of their house and helped Bonnie lead Sheila to her bedroom, locking the front door behind us. Bonnie stayed with jer while I attempted to make some tea for her benefit mostly. Under the stress, I forgot that I was a terrible cook and the usual faint jaded green liquid was questioningly dark brown.

I didn't feel like doing nothing as I waited for Elena to come and needed to move, ignoring the stench my creation made. When Bonnie appeared behind me, I jumped at the sound of her voice. "My grams wants to talk to you."

With a sharp intake of breath, I took one look at the heavy dark circles that was growing under her eyes and gave her a needed hug. I was feeling rather generous after everything that happened and felt too tired to make my usual retorts. For one night, I allowed myself silence and became the stronghold Bonnie needed. She hugged me back before turning her attention to my tea."I don't think Grams is going to want to drink that. I know _I_ wouldn't, no offense."

"I wouldn't either," I offered a small laugh before entering Sheila's bedroom. It was neat and clean compared to the mess in the living room. She was staring at me with wise old eyes, nodding me forward. I had a bad feeling rising in my stomach as I asked, "How do you feel?"

Instead of answering, she brushed her hand on my forearm as I sat down. "Don't deny it."

I froze and looked down at her. "I'm not a personification of nature. It's kind of far-fetched - impossible."

Sheila managed to shoot me a tiny glare. "Nature's reincarnate-"

"No. I can't be," I argued softly when she couldn't finish her sentence; I noticed the color draining from her face. When I took her hands in mine, I was alarmed at the coldness of her touch. It felt like death, a softer version compared to Stefan's or Damon's touch. It was the chill of a human dying, going down its natural course in one's short life. _She_ was dying.

Despite that, Sheila was directing small surges of inestimable power toward me - energy that she needed much more than I to keep on living. "Don't do this, Sheila," I warned, trying to move away. She wouldn't let me; Sheila was a stubborn woman for her age. "Please stop-"

"Trust Bonnie," she murmured.

"Sheila - wait," I whispered harshly, staring at her in shock. "You can't die!"

"Others know of you," Sheila warned with the little strength she had left. "Be wary of who you trust; be careful."

"You can't leave Bonnie alone!" I cried a little louder, her hands freezing to the point of ice. _No._ "What about _her_, Sheila? What about me? I just met you and-"

My words trailed off when Sheila was deadly still beside me. I pressed my finger to her neck. _Nothing._ My thumb felt through the edge of her wrist. _No pulse._ "Sheila," I whispered again, tears clouding my eyes; I refused to let them fall. I didn't know why or how in a matter of days of meeting, but I really did care about this witch.

Maybe it was the _nature_ speaking inside me. Sheila had told me witches were mere servants of the earth, and the instant attachments I had with both Bennetts must have started from there. What had it been like for them? Was that the reason for the feeling Bonnie received from me on the day we met? She knew she could trust me, but she didn't know _why_ exactly. Would I be connected to every witch I would meet in the future? Could I really be a reincarnation of nature? _Nonsense. I just can't believe that._

Overwhelmed with the possibilities, I shoved the thoughts out of my head. I was mistaken; I wasn't ready. I was alone and Sheila wouldn't be there for me anymore. She was gone. "Bonnie! She's not breathing!" I shrieked, _"Bonnie!"_

She dashed into the room, her horror-filled eyes landing on her grandmother. "Oh, my God! Grams? _Grams!_ Wake up!" Tears swelled in her eyes. She shook Sheila's lifeless body once more in vain. "Grams, please! Don't leave me! Not now!"

I barely noticed that Elena had arrived. She lingered at the doorway with a hand covering over mouth in shock, her phone against her ear as she hurriedly called 911. "-please, help!" Her ramblings faded into the background.

Bonnie detached herself from Sheila's body - no, it was still Sheila. _She _was still there. I could feel it strangely so, yet it gave me no comfort. Bonnie opened a small grimoire from the bedside table and flipped through the pages hungrily for the spell. "I'll bring her back." She told me in a broken voice. "I can fix this! I know I can. I-I just h-have to try and-"

My only reply was to wrap my arms around her shaking figure, ripping the spellbook from her hands and tossing it across the room. Bonnie didn't make a run after it and collapsed against me, smearing her tears on the shirt I borrowed. I didn't know what else to say and I knew she wouldn't want to hear it. "S-She can't be dead, Char. S-She was j-just here. She w-was alive and - oh,_ God_! Why isn't she waking up?"

Weary, I whispered, "I'm sorry, Bonnie." I felt so useless, feeble, and poignant with all the sorrow in this bedroom; it was suffocating. The only comfort I could give were my hugs that I honestly wasn't even comfortable in giving, and nothing else. That was the worse feeling in the entire world.

* * *

-The New World-

1024

"Niklaus!" I cried out, panicked that I may have trailed away from his figure. Annoying little branches snared through my loose hair and the skirts of my dress, yanking one way and pulling the other. Distracted by a sharp pull on my hair, I tripped on a root and fell to the ground. I pulled my skirts up as I jumped back to my feet, shaking the leaves that stuck to me.

Nearing desperate, I tried again in vain. "Niklaus?" I should have not expected more, but I was still surprised by the daringness of his man. To leave a girl in the forest knowing full well she was following him with trouble was rude and terrifying. I did not want to get lost in these parts of the woods. Deciding that I was on my own, I walked back to the direction of Lilly's abode. I got lost in my thoughts as I made my way further from the thickness of the forest; if I went any farther than that, I would surely lose my way.

My sudden romance with Elijah was something overwhelming, yes, but I was slowly accepting it. As much as he claimed to feel affection for me, I was rather shy with what was _expected _of me as his _third_ lover. I had spent years under Tatia's shadow and never once thought on watching what she did. Then again, never had I thought I would attract such a man and yet here I was, calling for that man's younger brother. "Berenike," I tasted the name in my tongue.

I couldn't help but recall earlier of how he claimed to have never felt such a way about a woman before. Was that a fable to soothe my insecurities? _Such a cruel lie._

Upset, I tripped on another root but this time, someone was there to catch me. Strong, lean arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me to a hard chest. A voice murmured seductively in my ear, "It appears you have found me, Heidi. Do you wish a prize of some sort?"

My heartbeat quickened. Turning my head, I gazed into a pair of blue eyes. "Niklaus!" I pushed away, blushing that he kept his arm on me. My feelings and body alone belonged exclusively to Elijah. I did not understand his actions, but they were unwelcomed acts. "It is not appropriate. Please release me."

He did so with a chuckle. "I had guessed that you would have stayed behind."

"Did you not hear me calling for you?"

"I had heard you though I did not listen. Two are similar yet very different things."

Frowning, I questioned in accusation, "Had you led me here only to jest?"

"Of course not. I seek my companion who live in these woods." He nodded to the opposite direction of Lilly's home, his smiling widening at the fear growing on my face.

"A man should not live in areas such as these. Who knows what creatures lay out there?"

"He is not human," Niklaus pointed out before walking away yet again.

My eyes widened at the news I was given and I immediately latched on to his arm, eyeing past the trees with distrust. What other monsters lurked, hidden? "Do not run off. I fear I shall not find you again in these parts of the woods."

"You worry of the wrong things," he muttered, irritated for some reason. We walked in silence afterwards; it was not tense or uncomfortable, but it was not friendly either.

Every whistle of the trees or a sudden snap of a branch sent my head spinning to each direction, causing me to trip and crash against the blond man more than I wished to admit. The tall height of the trees had blocked most of the sunlight and the cool shade sent chills through my skin. I could sense Niklaus growing impatient with my slow pace. He had walked faster before until he realized I could not match his hasty strides. As his solution, he had threatened to carry me over his shoulder if I strolled any slower. Not wanting to have Elijah suspect things that were not there, I was rushing through the path.

Who was it that Niklaus was looking for? I had never heard of anyone living this deep in the woods, but I too had not met any unnatural being aside from the four of them. It was only after a considerable amount of time passed that Niklaus brought his hand on my elbow, but the touch of his skin meeting mine sent . . . _strange_ . . . vibes down my spine. I followed his gaze to a small, murky cave. The entrance was small, jagged, but easily accessible. From my past knowledge of these routes, a lake was supposedly a short walking distance from here.

"Stay here," he told me before smirking, "unless you wish to come with me?"

"In the dark?"

"Do not fret. Had I not given Elijah my word?"

I glared at the handsome blond. "You have broken that word more than I would want to count. I do not wish to."

"Tis to you, like I had said."

With a lasting grin, he was gone in a blink of an eye and I was alone in the field yet again. I took a deep breath before sitting on the ground, lying back on the grass as I had done in the dream with Elijah. _What is it that I have gotten myself into?_

My gaze went to the clouds as a small frown graced my features, my mind wondering what Elijah planned for the future for he was immortal while I was not. I would be fated to die and Elijah would go on without me, finding another girl to take my place as I replaced this girl, this Berenike. Had that been the reason he was not with Berenike now? At the thought of her name, a strong surge of envy flooded my body. I did not know I was capable of such monstrous emotions and I did not like it, but I hardly doubted my strong captivation for the man who bought me freedom; though my feelings had yet to turn to love.

Was that the same for him as well? What was it that he liked about me? _What is he?_

I shot up from my position when a branch broke not too far away. Searching the trees to only find nothing, I shakily got to my feet. "Niklaus," I whispered, frightened to speak any higher.

Growling echoed in the field. A gust of wind flew past me and I whirled around, aghast at what I saw. A pale, ashen face with dark veins and vicious fangs - something I had seen before, but that did not catch my horror more when I recognized the man past the demonic mask. "Uncle Johan?" I gasped. Showing no recognition, he made a move to swipe his arm at me, faster than my eyes could follow, and my instincts reacted faster than I could.

The trees moaned around us as their branches moved under the influence of my powers, draining my strength. Uncle Johan was swatted away from me by the thick vines of the forest, tightly wrapping around his center before pieces of wood pierced parts of his body. He yelled out in outrage, his hoarse voice filled with pain. Uncle Johan tore apart the vines but could not move away from the stabs of wood, making him partly limp as he struggled for freedom. I had gaped the whole time I had watched, horrified that the subconsciousness of my mind was able to do such a drastic thing to my own uncle.

"Uncle Johan!" I cried in distress.

"That man is your uncle no more, Heidi."

Shocked, I turned to Niklaus' voice. As deranged as it sounded, he looked impressed at what I had done to Uncle Johan. "Where had you gone?" I demanded angrily.

"Twas my plan. You had played as the perfect bait."

My astonishment turned to anger. When I glanced back at my uncle, I saw that he was not there anymore. Instead, Niklaus had his hand around his neck, forcing my uncle's face at my direction the moment the breeze passed by. Uncle Johan sniffed the air and his red soulless eyes snapped at me with horrifying hunger; like a man who had not eaten in days, dangerously near the point of starvation. "U-Uncle - please!"

Before he could reach me however, Niklaus had a rather tight hold on him, squeezing tightly until there was a small pop of cartilage. "Tsk, no, no. Do not even think of it." My uncle cringed and heeded the blond's warning to stay still, but his gaze never drifted from my neck.

I quivered in trepidation. "W-What has happened to my uncle? Why had he tried to attack me?"

His lips turned to a cruel smile when he saw me flinch at my uncle's inhuman, frustrated snarls. "The youngest of us, the innocent child of the family - he is the one at fault for this. Your sweet Henrik has offended you."

"Henrik? How - no, _what_ do you speak of?"

Niklaus answered truthfully, but the ill-intent was visible in his blue eyes. "Henrik is his sire, not I."

"Sire?" I echoed, confused.

"We are but beasts in human form, Heidi - immortal with the power of many men." I stepped back in fear when his face transformed once again. He did not move to attack, but the darkness of his stare alarmed me. My gut was screaming at me to run, but I could not move - not yet. Niklaus frighteningly did not pay attention to my uncle who was clawing his leg to get free, minding now regard to the scratches of his clothes. "I am only teaching you of what is to come of those who associate with one such as myself and my family."

"Death," I finished for him breathlessly. "T-Then my uncle is . . . dead."

"Yes, and yet here he is." Niklaus glanced at Uncle Johan disinterestedly. With a flicker of his wrist, a horrible sound filled the air and Uncle Johan collapsed to the ground.

A scream left my lips as tears swelled in my eyes. _"No!"_

He took a step closer, ignoring the body that laid a few feet away. "Calm yourself. He is merely unconscious."

"N-No! What is the meaning of this?" I cried out, not caring if my voice was shaking with incredulity and rage. I had seen my uncle die in front of my eyes without warning, whether it be his first or second death - however it may be possible. Any naive feeling of trust I had in this monster of a man disappeared into terror and enmity; I was blinded with too much anger to notice the sad glint in his demonic eyes that quickly flashed away at my next words. "What is it that you wish of me? Why go through such trickery to bring me here?"

"You will run."

"Why?" I squeaked out over my sobs, stumbling back into a tree.

He smiled to show the sharpness of his teeth. "I enjoy the chase."

Without another word, I whirled around and ran.


	12. Passing Of Time

_Happy Veteran's Day! I have no clue where they hold the boy auction. I would check with the actual episode, but the TV is being preoccupied by someone else so the high school gym will have to do in this story - sorry for the inaccuracy. With Heidi, she is learning firsthand on not to trust people so easily. She is a gullible person so basically, whatever happens in the chapter are the consequences of her choice to be with Elijah. She'll struggle with her feelings on whether she can trust them or not. What Niklaus did was kind of like teaching her a lesson in other words. You'll hopefully understand with more interaction between Heidi and the Originals. Am I losing any dazzle in my writing? Just curious. Anyways, thanks for reading this far! Thanks for the review/s! Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Twelve**

**Passing Of Time**

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2009

I watched as the car disappeared at the next turn. The moment I took another step on the pathway early morning, I was encased in a hug. I breathed in the smell of French vanilla with the soothing scent of honey. _Caroline. _"Oh, my gosh. I just heard about what happened," she told me sadly. "Elena called."

"Of course," I muttered rather bitterly.

_Hush up, it's not her fault_, I scolded myself.

Everyone made bad bets throughout their lives and this was one of them. Unfortunately, the cost had been Sheila's life and Damon's Katherine wasn't even in that damn tomb. I had spent the night over Bonnie's holding on to her curled figure and waiting for her dad to arrive to take my place. It had been a long night and I barely slept a wink when her dad came, carrying Bonnie's sleeping figure to her room before giving me a somewhat quiet ride here. I found out his name was Rudy Hopkins; he asked who I was, why I was there, and how I knew his family. I answered as simply as I could, blinking back the tears and need of sleep as best as I could.

Caroline pulled away from me. She was wearing pajama shorts and a tank top, her hair in a low ponytail. "You alright?"

Before I could answer, my younger brother walked out of the house and took Caroline's spot. Ignoring my weary expression, he pulled me into another hug. _Why are they giving me hugs so much? _"I was worried after Elena's phone call. What were you doing there anyways?"

"I was hanging out with Bonnie."

"We waited for you," Caroline told me. We all glanced up at the darkened sky. From the looks of it, it was only three in the morning.

Winslow inspected for any wounds, pleased that he found none. "You feel okay?"

"Yes."

"You're all sweaty." My second cousin stared at me incredulously. "Are you wearing Elena's clothes?"

"I am, thanks for noticing." I snapped sarcastically, pushing away from Winslow. Disregarding the hurt on her face, I marched into the house. "Now if everyone can just go back to whatever you guys were doing, I'll be going to my room."

I heard Winslow comfort Caroline about my snappy attitude before I slammed the door behind me. Leaving Elena's clothes in piles on the floor, I changed into more comfortable pajamas. All I wanted to do was sleep, but I found myself slipping out of my room and into the bathroom in silence. The lights were still turned on in the living room and if I listened hard enough, I could hear the soft murmurings of my family. They were worried for me, but I didn't really understand what for. Bonnie was the one who had lost a family member; for all they knew, I never even spoke to Sheila before.

Washing my face and hands until my skin turned pink, I dried myself with a towel and took out the contacts from my eyes. _Freak of nature_, a voice whispered in my ears as I met the weak gaze of my reflection.

They were not murky green as they once were but unusual mixtures of color. Unsurprisingly, they were one of the things Father had always complained about me when I was a child, but as I grew up, I began to care less for my father's words and openly proclaimed my favor for their eccentricity. My stare lowered the the jewelry on my neck - the choker Sheila had given me, and I pressed my thumb on the pendant slowly as if it were the last time; the light thrums of energy gave me small comfort.

_Because it would be_, I thought with a frown, untying the knot. This reminded me of Sheila too much, adding uneasiness into the bottom of my stomach every time I looked at it.

My neck strangely felt bare, but I paid no attention to that. At the back of the flower, I noticed extra thin engravings of two names I had never seen before - _Laelia _and _Nikanor_.

_Who are they? Did_ she_ see this before? _I was too exhausted to answer my own questions and went to my bedroom, hiding the choker at the bottom of my jewelry case before going to my bed. It was the first night in ages that I slept without forgotten dreams, but as much as I wanted unadulterated rest, it was also the first time I felt so empty in Mystic Falls.

* * *

-The New World-

1024

_Pound. Pound. Pound._

I could barely hear anything against my panicked heartbeat as I raced blindly across the trees, flinching at every passing shadow that I crossed. Whether they may be trees or thickets, I did not know the difference between safety and danger anymore. Who knew what hid behind them? The instinctive attack I had made on my own uncle had drained me tremendously and I could barely call on my power to help me. I had been a fool to disregard my instincts. Why did I ever trust such a creature, particularly one who had already claimed itself as a monster of death?

A squeal left my lips when my feet tangled into the vines and my hand scraped against the base of the tree, drawing blood. My breath got caught in my throat when Niklaus' voice was closer than I imagined it to be. "Heidi, I can hear your heart."

Staying on the ground, I pressed myself under the bushes in a pathetic attempt to hide. I wished the ground would swallow me whole and keep me hidden until the day ended, keeping me away from this living nightmare. Who would come to save me now? Where was Elijah? Even Henrik? There were too many unanswered questions I allowed Elijah to evade. This was of my own fault for my impulsive choice and my lack of conviction, even with my reckless belief that Niklaus was half as moral as his older brother. "I did not expect you to hide," he called out teasingly. I bit back an urge to scream. "Hmm, is that your blood I smell?"

I backed deeper into the bush and jumped to my feet when another round of sounds echoed through the forest; I wanted to stay but a voice told me to continue running. _He is near. _Holding back my sobs, I dashed to my left and cringed when I accidentally smacked the edge of my cheek against a branch I did not see. Something trickled down my jaw though I paid the wound no attention.

A cool breeze rushed past me, my skirts picking up at the gust. "You spoil the game," he whispered in my ear.

Whirling around, my eyes landed on empty space. I reminded myself of his extra abilities of speed and strength. A nimble shadow flashed around the area in wide circles, too fast for my searching stare to catch. "Y-You are playing with me,"

"Tis part of the chase." His voice was far away though I had no doubt he could catch up. I turned and raced into thickets of greens and browns with Niklaus speaking behind me, "Do you wish it to end so soon? I can only hope not."

Picking up my pace, I emerged into a flat small field of grass. It looked like a trap in disguise, but I preferred being in plain view compared to running back to where Niklaus was taunting me. Freedom appeared to be on the other side when I saw a smoke trail somewhere near the field. _Someone is there._

Forcing back hope, I only made it halfway when my body slammed into something - or someone. I opened my eyes to see a girl standing above me, much to my relief. She had cuts around her face and her plain dress was torn and stained with what looked to be blood. Her dark skin, long thick hair, and an angular face made her a foreign beauty compared to the other girls in my village, and I recognized her. "A-Anika?"

Her dark brown eyes looked down at me in surprise. "Heidi?"

Before I could ask questions as to why she was here, dread filled her features. She reached down and yanked me to my feet with ease, pulling me with her as she ran to the opposite direction. Anika was stronger than any average girl, but she did not seem to be similar to Niklaus or Elijah. A strange feeling flooded through my body at her touch. It was not hostile, but it was also not welcomed. Was she something else? I nearly tripped on my own two feet, and it would have been unwise of me to for it looked as if she would have dragged me along with her, either standing or on the ground.

She yelled, "We must leave! It is not safe here."

"Wait, Anika!" I warned her wearily, "It is safer here than there. Trust my words."

With an angered scoff, she led me straight ahead - neither left or right. I did not have breath to talk over my labored breathing, but I was amazed that she did. "Do not believe the lies of those people, Heidi! The travelers - they are not of this nature! Oh, what I have seen in these mornings alone!"

I knew she spoke of Elijah and his family. My hand slipped from hers and I slowed to a jog. "Do you know of what they are?" I asked with a hint of revelation.

"Monsters! Creatures of the shadows!" She let out a cry of frustration when we both heard something nearby and jerked me to a random direction away from the noise. Our pants did not bring enough air into our lungs and soon my mouth went dry. "They had taken me from my village only nights ago and-"

Anika let out a gasp when three people suddenly stood in front of us, two brown-haired men and a green-eyed woman. They pulled Anika away from me as if her nails were not already deep into my skin, tearing scratches when we separated. The younger man of the two eyed my wounds hungrily and without warning, he stood beside me with his lengthened fangs plunging into the crook of my neck. An ear-splitting scream filled the air and it had taken me a while to realize that it belonged to me. The two who held Anika still stiffened, their malicious eyes turning to me with newfound craving.

"-wait!" I heard a pained gasp as he wrenched himself back, but it was too late. As fast as the pain arrived, it disappeared when he was ripped off of me.

I turned to see him thrown away from me, blood seeping out of his chest and through his pale shirt. Above me stood my immortal lover. To my utter horror, the man's heart was in his hand. He had ripped that vital organ brutally out of his body and had not batted an eyelash. I forced myself to take in much needed air, remembering that he was not human. _Perhaps something the kills without a thought?_

"Do not touch what is mine," Elijah faced the pair with a composed expression, but his oak brown eyes were furious. I feared for anyone who were met with such a stare. "Do you not heed my warnings?"

"O-Of course, Elijah," the man stuttered.

His angry stare flickered to me, his stony face hardening at the wounds. "Then what I see are mere illusions? I smell the blood."

The woman shook her head meekly. "She had suffered them b-before our encounter-"

"Minor injuries," her companion blurted out.

It shocked me at how obedient and obsequious they were at his presence - vicious wild animals tamed by his look alone. What made Elijah any different from them? His strength? His clear power? Anika was released and she collapsed beside me, both of us looking at Elijah in fear when he stuck the man down. He wailed in pain and crouched on the ground while he pressed his hand on his scarred face. His nails clawed the entire half of his face - catching skin and muscle - and Elijah stared at him indifferently. "Minor injuries, were it not?"

"Elijah," I breathed out, rather horrified that he could do such things and yet be so gentle with me. _I need not fear him, but could I really feel admiration for a man who murdered?_ I found myself saying yes despite what I witnessed. Elijah had killed to save me, a gruesome thought to accept, but it was the truth no matter how frightening the sight before me was. _I have gone mad_, I murmured in my head.

When his enraged glare turned to me, I barely held back a flinch. It softened into a concerned look once he was aware of my fright. "Do they hurt?" Elijah asked. My hand reached up to the deep puncture wounds and felt the small curves of the torn skin, nodding hesitantly. I could not lie when he already knew the truth.

Before I could say anything, Anika jumped to her feet. "Stop feeding her false looks of concern! She must know what you are under those masks you wear!"

"Anika-"

She whirled at me, outraged. "No! Speak no more, Heidi. You are told of everything but the truth."

Displeased, Elijah warned, "You must watch how you speak of those who you cannot afford to aggravate - myself and my family."

"Is she your pet?" Anika sneered. She wobbled backwards, bruised from how the pair handled her ruthlessly. What had happened to Anika? I hoped it did not involve Elijah, but I knew that was useless wish. He was somehow the leader to these creatures; the way they dared not anger him made it painfully obvious. The man and woman barred their fangs to Anika, clearly in wariness for her audacity and disrespect. "A desperate act to slow me down? You and your crowd of demons have hunted me down for many days!"

"She is human as you are not, werewolf."

I gaped at Anika. Was that the reason for that strange feeling earlier? "Werewolf?" I echoed in disbelief.

"Better werewolf than dark creatures who feed on the blood of the innocent!" She screeched.

"Blood," I whispered, glancing at the stains on my skirt, sleeves, and skin. The chalices Henrik and Rebekah drank from were not filled with thick red wine. That man had bitten me to drink the blood from my veins, not to purposely cause me pain to any exposed flesh. When Uncle Johan had tried to attack me, his demonic eyes stayed on the wounds on my cheek with voracious thirst. Looking back to Elijah with new perspective, I repeated aloud, "It was the blood. You and your family _drink_ blood-"

In a blink of an eye, Elijah was standing directly in front of Anika. His voice was low with menace. "You had your warning, mongrel. Who are you to speak of dark creatures when you yourself have broken your own curse? Who was it that you killed with your tainted hands?"

"If it was not you," she spat, "then it was your dear brothers who forced me to do such a horrid thing! Werewolves are not immune to your dirty tricks, demons! Twas either my family or them. I chose my family."

Concerned, I stood up, rushing to Anika's side. "Elijah, no! Please do not harm her!" He opened his mouth to say something when we all spotted Niklaus enter the field and not far behind him was my uncle. His clothes were torn, but he had healed perfectly. Pushing aside my rising spite and fear for Niklaus, I took a step forward. "Uncle Johan-"

Elijah slipped his arm around my waist, pulling me back. "Do not, Heidi. He is rather new with his tendencies to seek an easy meal."

I stayed put with reluctance, but continued quietly, "I-I am glad you are well."

Uncle Johan wore a guilty expression. "I must apologize. I was weak against the need for-"

"There is nothing to forgive," I replied with a small smile. "You are not the only one who has acted wrongly."

"I suppose you are to blame for her injuries," Elijah said to Niklaus with a frown. When his younger brother grinned, he shook his head. "I still do wonder why I try to believe your words. This has not been the first letdown in the years."

"You should be thankful as she was," Niklaus disagreed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Those injuries were self-inflicted and were brought down onto her skin without any force of my hand. If I had wanted her dead, your lady would not be standing beside you. We would not want a repeat of last time, do we now?"

At the corner of my eye, Elijah's jaw tensed. "No, _I_ would not."

"Neither do I; though my actions have led us to now. I imagine if things had went your way, poor Heidi would never get the answers she desired."

"You lie," I boldly hissed.

Niklaus avoided my accusing glare and focused his attention on Anika. An inhuman grin spread in his face and I immediately worried for Anika's sake. We were not friends, but civil acquaintances during our brief introductions during trade. She lived with the natives of the land and despite her beauty, was avoided by the men of the village. "Love, it is time to join us. It shall either be a complaisant visit or an unplesant one - tis to you."

I shivered at his choice of words. "What is it that you shall do with her?"

"I suggest you leave with Heidi, brother. You have much to explain." When my uncle moved toward me, Niklaus stopped him. His lips moved yet I did not hear the words. Uncle Johan glanced at me helplessly before helping the two others to drag a screaming Anika away. She turned to me for help and I could not reach her. No one would listen to our pleas.

Elijah silently did what he said, taking my hand in his and pulling me away with his unnatural strength. The touch sent chills down my spine - cold and dark like death. I had not felt such iciness when my skin met his before. Had my feelings for him blocked such harshness? "We must go."

"But Anika-"

"I do not care for her as I do with you."

Fighting back when we left the field, I argued, "She is as young as I and I shall not let her die, werewolf or not."

"My loyalty is to my brother."

_His loyalty._ My eyes lowered to the ground, wiping the tears that escaped. "You are a man of honor; you had promised many things - one of them to keep to the truth, and yet that too was a lie. My family was not in good health, Elijah. I am to be with you and my uncle has turned into _that_. Who shall my aunt have now? Oh, when will you tell me what I want to know? I have done what you asked despite the warnings-"

He reached out to brush my cheek dry before he touched the bleeding marks on my neck. A flash of possessiveness crossed his face, mixed with strife and jealousy. "I do not wish to be the cause of your tears."

"I promised as well," I reminded him, trying to ignore my anxiety for Anika to concentrate on Elijah alone. "I _do_ care for you more than I should and compared to any man. P-Please do not doubt that, but there is much to be said. I cannot continue on this path blindly."

"Heidi, I have not broken oaths before. Trust me that I shan't now," he tried to assure me. "I will tell you everything, but not here. Come."

Elijah offered his hand and I hesitated, glancing back at the field. "I-Is she to die?"

"I am sorry."

Squeezing my eyes shut - as well as my heart - I clenched my teeth together. "And y-you approve?"

"There are other plays at hand. I cannot go against my brother. There is only so many words he will listen to, but he will still do as he pleases; that side of him shall never diminish."

I opened my eyes to stare at him. It had only been this morning since I had awoken and yet so many things happened. I had changed as well. "I shall keep my promise," I whispered, ignoring my selfish side, "if you shall keep yours. I know you will for you are a man of your word and I a woman of mine, but I will _not_ do nothing against this. I will not support such acts of murder upon those who have done nothing wrong - the innocent." I managed to gasp out, "I am stuck between two paths."

"Then it had been greedy of me to demand what I had."

"You did what I could not, and I am somewhat happy that you know of my feelings for you." I confessed, reddening. Then tears sprung back to my eyes. "But do not be mistaken. I do not regret my choice and I will stay by your side, but not as your lover."

Elijah nodded solemnly, but there was no betrayal or anger in his voice as he said, "I knew of your decision minutes before, perhaps even days. You see me as a monster, do you not?"

_Wait, he had known all this time? _"No, though I cannot lie and say I am not scared of you - or not terrified at your ease to kill, you saved me. I cannot see a monster if you are my savior; and if I cannot allow myself . . . to be your _partner_," I began uncertainly, wiping my tears away in shame, "then perhaps as companions? Friends?"

He did not seem pleased - more like troubled - at his title of my defender, but the corners of his lips twitched at the hopefulness in my voice. I could only hope he was not mad at me for my change in mind behind his calm demeanor. "I suppose that part does come first in a relationship."

I managed to smile in return and took his hand. "Thank you . . . for understanding." I whispered to him sincerely, forcing my voice to steady.

"Always," was his short reply.

The walk to the house was silent. What needed to be said would be said later on, but for now we were both lost in our thoughts. The only thing that kept me going was the warm hand around mine, savoring this moment into my heart. I could not feel the touch of death anymore for my emotions were clouded with dejection, anger, and resolve for what was moral; I knew what was right, but this was much harder than I had realized - being near a man who I wanted dearly and yet couldn't have. Temptation to bring back my words rose in my chest. Who knew from having almost everything one morning to losing so much more at the end of the day was this painful?

_No! _I forced back such negativity. This was my decision and it came to be this way because of my choice alone. I could not support people getting killed for a cause I had no knowledge of, and I wouldn't allow myself to for I would disgrace my aunt and my moral upbringing. Forcing a smile, I concluded that I could settle for being friends - I had to. The treasured moment of this morning was locked deep within my mind. The embraces and kisses would not - _could_ not happen again. It was for the best for both of us; him being immortal with his loyalty to his family, and I taking a stand for what I believed in.

We had no future now that I thought about it. Avoiding Elijah's gaze, I sighed. _Only companions - friends._

Far from my cognition, my heart felt like it was breaking.

* * *

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2009

I snuck out of the house when Bonnie called me a few hours later, disrupting my sleep. Winslow and Caroline were heavy sleepers and far from morning people during Sundays. Bonnie was inside her car down the pathway. Her eyes were red from crying, but her expression was fixed with newfound resolution. She turned to look at me when I neared her car. "I'm leaving," was the first thing she said. Her voice was raspy as if she cried the whole night, which she probably did.

My eyes widened. "What?"

"Not forever," she clarified for my benefit. "I'll come back after a while. I just need time after . . ."

I refused to cry for I hadn't in years. "Um, if that's what you need."

Bonnie suddenly got out of the car and hugged me. As awkward as I felt in her arms, I patted her back in response. She let out a sniff against my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Char."

"For what?" I asked, bewildered. "You're the one who lost your grandmother."

"You lost Grams too."

That was when everything crashed on me. I finally knew why Winslow and Caroline acted the way they did. They knew I was bereaved of a grandmotherly figure despite not having a clue _why_ or _how_. Sheila hadn't been my family, but I cared for her. Was this nature talking again? Wordlessly, I returned the hug. When Bonnie pulled back, she said, "I'll call you, okay?"

"Don't get lost," I warned with a pitiable smile.

She returned it with her own watery one, got back inside her car, and drove away before six chimed on the grandfathers clock. The last witch of Mystic Falls was gone, and so was the only one who understood what I was going through. I went to the kitchen and tried making breakfast as an apology to Winslow and Caroline, _tried_ being the operative word. The fire alarm and the smell of burning bread managed to get them to their feet and into the kitchen, running. "Is there a fire?" Winslow asked as Caroline and I waved the smoke away.

I cleared my throat, already uncomfortable. "I, er, wanted to say sorry about this morning."

"So you're trying to smother us alive?" Caroline joked, giving me a small smile. "It's fine, totally. I forgive you."

When we looked to Winslow, he stared at me with shock. "What?" I asked, irritated.

"You said sorry."

"So?" Caroline shrugged, trying to save the rest of the pancakes. She later discovered it wasn't worth it and threw the burnt crisps into the garbage bin.

"You never say sorry."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes I do."

"Well, you never _mean_ them." He scoffed at my miffed expression, "Where were the sorrys you owe me for sixteen years of teasing and torture?"

Caroline laughed at his dramatics with me following hesitantly. My heavy feelings over _her_ death made my smile feel strained, but the others didn't comment on it, at least out loud. The blonde silently handed him the skillet and we leaned back into the counters as he worked on breakfast. It really made life easier having a wannabe chief in the house. "I'm the older one," I replied simply, "It's my job to make sure you're miserable, and who better to do the torturing than _moi_?"

He didn't have a reply to that and grumbled throughout breakfast. It was after she finished her plate when Caroline informed us, "Today's completely full for me, ugh! I'm helping out Mrs. Lockwood today with the Boy Auction."

I raised an eyebrow. "Sounds absolutely delish."

Shooting me an annoyed look, Winslow asked, "What's that for?"

"You know the annual Founder's Day celebration?" When we nodded, she answered, "Well all the proceeds go to that. It's kind of like a fundraiser."

"I'll help you," I declared, heading up to my room, "if you can bring extras along."

She followed me to my room, grinning. "Sure, I'd love another girl to come with! Matt's going to be helping out too, but I can't exactly talk about other boys with my boyfriend."

"Good thing I'm single," I told her with a smirk.

Caroline shook her head at me, slying pointing out, "The boys have to be, like, older than eighteen. I heard Mr. Saltzman is going to be there."

I frowned. "Ew, are you still hung up over that crush idea? And besides, that doesn't mean we can't have a look,"

With another laugh, she left to change in her room. I quickly slipped into pearl white shorts, a black long-sleeved shirt, and scarlet red boots with matching chandelier earrings. Tying my hair into another high ponytail, I put on my contacts, thick white eyeliner, and sufficient layers cherry flavored lip gloss. I met up with Caroline downstairs and she had her car keys in her hands. "Ready!"

"You look like you're planning on eating some of them alive," Caroline told me honestly, fighting back a squeal of approval when Winslow glared at both of us. He had quickly grown to care for Caroline the same way he did for me so Matt wasn't really in his good books. There was nothing he could do about it anyways, Matt being almost twice his size.

"So is every other middle-aged woman in this town going to this thing," I argued lightly.

"Please be careful," my younger brother put in.

"Are you going somewhere today?"

"Over at Nicole's."

I frowned. "Er, well, have fun I guess."

To my annoyance, he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Oh, we will."

Caroline and I met glances as we closed the door behind us. "For a minute there, I thought that was Damon we were talking to," Caroline noted, turning her car on.

I could only nod stiffly; I wasn't getting over what had happened _that_ quickly. Damon might not have forced Sheila or Bonnie to do the spell last night, but he started this all on his own. I could only imagine him getting drunk over the lost love of his life. The drive was filled with loud music, the both of us not caring who heard us on the road, especially since the backseat was bare of any complainers of our tone-deaf singing. She parked at the edge of the school's lot and we met Mrs. Lockwood at the double doors. She was a woman with short brown hair, light baby blue eyes, and angular facial features with thin lips pressed into a scowl.

"Ah, Caroline. Yes, you're here, you'll be helping out with selling the raffle tickets later on." Her eyes went to me interestedly. "Hello, you are?"

I made no move to offer my hand and neither did she. "I'm Chardonnay Blackburn,"

Her lips pursed in thought. "Are you Beatrice Archer's daughter?"

When I nodded, she smiled a little too warmly. "Oh, so nice to meet you finally. I had heard of you arrival, but I'm sorry that I didn't introduce myself earlier. I'm Carol Lockwood. I was, er, friends with your mother before she became an model. My husband's the mayor."

"Interesting," I remarked, not knowing what else to say to her. "Erm, I'm here to help?"

"We do need a pair of hands," she murmured, giving me a warning glance. "Can you be trusted with money?"

"I don't need anymore than I already have," I retorted rather haughtily, annoyed at the suggestion.

Her smile became forced. "Fine. You can help Caroline then." She left us to scold a woman about the wrong color of balloons.

Caroline shot me a questioning look about earlier, but I shrugged it off. I didn't need to rant about how Carol reminded me of some types of women in New York; not the good ones either. The recalled memories alone made my blood boil with irritation. We set up the table beside the entrance of the gym, putting a plastic covering over the wooden surface and the slip-in box on top that would hold part of today's profits. We were about to sit when Matt and a woman approached us almost cautiously. Caroline stiffened beside me, but other than that, wore a cheerful expression.

"Caroline, Char," Matt greeted, "this is my mom."

The woman was short with light brown - almost red hair and clear gray eyes that narrowed at Caroline. "We've met when you two were so elegantly sucking face last night," she told us curtly before turning to me. Her expression lightened drastically. "And who might you be? You look familiar."

"Chardonnay Blackburn,"

She let out an excited gasp. "Oh, dear. Tell me that your mom's Beatrice Archer,"

"She is," I avoided Matt's surprised look.

"Oh, my God! I just _adored_ your mom when I was back in high school! She was so popular and insanely beautiful - every girl's icon and every guy's dream. Obviously that meant something since she's out there, making a fortune and having photo shoots." She gushed, tugging on my ponytail and eyeing my jewelry a little enviously. "You look so pretty, Chardonnay. You have her face. Probably a looker for some guys, hmm?"

I was uncomfortable at hearing about my mom, but nodded. "Right, who are you?"

"Kelly Donovan - an absolute pleasure to meet you."

"You too. I just moved here."

"Oh really? Do you know anyone else here? Elena, probably?" She continued when I nodded again, "She used to be Matt's girlfriend, you see. They were always a good match. Matt's just on his rebound girl so maybe they'll get back together."

My eyebrows arched upward. Kelly didn't seem to like Caroline much. "Caroline's my second cousin," I told her straightforwardly.

She shrugged. "Distant family's different, really. I always had a hard time believing Liz was Beatrice's cousin. They were always different."

I snapped, "Actually, Liz got the better side of the coin."

Before Kelly could ask me about what I meant, Matt pulled her away, saying something about checking the place while it wasn't as busy. "Er, they need help in the gym," he fabled as he shot us both apologetic looks over his shoulder before they disappeared inside.

Caroline then raged about how unfair it was for Kelly to judge her biasedly since Liz and Kelly did not mix well with each other. I offered a few supporting comments here and there. People were starting to fill in after nine o'clock struck. It wasn't a surprise that at least ninety-five percent of those attending were women. Caroline and I had to muffle a few laughs at the desperation that reeked from their outrageous choices of clothes. The only men that came were the helpers from school like Matt and Tyler.

Speaking of Tyler, he had came up to me to blame alcohol for his behavior at the nineteen-fifties dance. I quickly forgave him before telling him that it had always been _harmless flirting_ between us, nothing else. He seemed to accept that and we proceeded to share a few liquor shots Tyler had sneaked under his mother's nose. He needed it to pass an hour of watching a lot of middle-aged women drooling over a handful of younger guys and I desperately just wanted the buzz, not exactly the whole package. We hid in the janitor's closet, ironically, before going back to our jobs. We weren't couple material - that was for certain, but we could grow to be good friends, drinking buddies for the lack of better terms.

"Where were you?" Caroline asked curiously, setting up the chairs. The gym was filled with a lot of women, their chattering filling up the large room.

Teasingly, I winked. "With Tyler."

She made a face. "Um, ew."

I sat with her during the auction, snickering under our breaths when the bidding began. I also noticed Elena and Stefan in the crowd but made no move to approach them. When Mr. Saltzman walked up to stage as bachelor four and after that horrid interview, Caroline and I were choking on our laughter. Matt shook his head at us, but his lips twitched in amusement. Mr. Saltzman did not belong on the stage and I pitied him for accepting Mrs. Lockwood's offer to join this auction in the first place. "I'm so glad we came today," I muttered absentmindedly.

"Of course you are," Matt teased, chuckling.

To our surprise, the fifth bachelor turned out to be Damon. I bit back cries of annoyance when the whole crowd literally swooned at his voice and his aura of obnoxiousness. I too would've found it as a turn on if I wasn't aware of what I knew and I couldn't help but feel angry that he was drunk at a time like this. It was so obvious his words were slurring and he was barely steady on his feet. Sheila died for this man's benefit? It was almost sickening to watch him.

"Are you arlight?" Caroline questioned as she eyed my expression.

I forced a smile. "Eh, the auction's over . . ."

After cleaning up and leaving the filled box in Mrs. Lockwood's hands - who was very pleased with the results of the auction, Caroline and I walked to the car across the lot. I saw Elena, Stefan, and Damon outside the school's premises, talking to some random guy with a bouquet. He gave it to Elena who was unnaturally pale and shakily accepted it, the Salvatore brothers behind her glaring at him menacingly. Then the man turned around and walked straight in front of a moving truck; it'd be a miracle for him to have survived that, but it was obvious that he was now dead. My mouth hung open in shock while Elena let out a surprised shriek.

Caroline followed my gaze and gasped. "Oh, my God!"

Something was happening again - something bad - and it involved my not so favorite three people at the moment. I could feel it in my gut but I wasn't sure if I wanted to get involved, particularly when I had a choice this time. While Elena was looking over the broken body like the rest of the gathering crowd, Stefan and Damon turned to Caroline's voice. Their gaze slid to me almost immediately, wary of how I would react. For a while, they just stared at me as if silently asking if I was going to join them or not with this.

I only stared back blankly, hearing myself reply, "Oh, my God indeed."


	13. Forgiveness Is Divine

_With Heidi and Elijah, well, they're gonna try being friends - please don't hate me! But it'll add some spice between them when another Original butts in - and it's not the one most of you are thinking! That idea won't really come around until the next update. Heidi's part here is a little small, kind of a cute moment between her and the Originals. Any Rebekah fans, anyone? Anyways, thanks for reading this far! Means a lot to me since every viewer or follower counts! Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Forgiveness Is Divine**

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2010

After days of pure supernatural action, I had one day of normalcy - or the closest I could get to it. When it had been a Monday - days after the winter holidays, school was ever eager to have us back again. I was guilty for avoiding Elena and Stefan; they had tried to get me alone from Caroline, but I stuck to my second cousin like glue throughout the day - not that Caroline minded or anyone else noticed something wrong since we always appeared close. With her human company, I also spent more time with Matt and even sometimes with Tyler and his group of popular friends, particularly the girls Sarah and Aimiee.

I had made a note to myself if I ever needed drunk people to hang out with, those two girls would be the first on my list on who to call. They were like every other girl who worried about possible zits, clothes, and boys - not vampires, witches, or the safety of their families. _This is something I'm lacking_, I reminded myself.

In the middle of the week, Caroline had this amazing idea of a group date later on after school. She wanted time with Matt and she offered to let me go with them as Tyler as my _friendly _date. As puzzled as I was about her sudden change of heart about Tyler, I was actually thinking of asking him after lunch. Then my second cousin mentioned that she had also invited Elena and Stefan. If that was their way of trying to talk to me, I was not impressed and I had refused to go on with her plan; instead, I spent the rest of the day with Tyler on my own terms.

We had held our own small private party in his house, inviting his regular clique plus the two girls I grew acquainted with. They didn't seem displeased when they discovered that I was the addition to their usual crowd. I had somehow made a name for myself in school as the new city girl who made the trends and not followed them - due to my blunt and flirty exterior, but I wasn't exactly _in_ yet. It had only been when Aimiee asked me if Tyler and I were dating when I abruptly turned a little petulant. The cups of water in the room froze into ice under my agitation, and I hadn't known how to turn them back into liquid. Thankfully, most of them had been too drunk to notice.

Someone had seen Tyler and I get out of the janitor's closet yesterday and the news spread out like wildfire without our knowledge, but it explained the stares we had received during the whole school day, _and_ the warm welcome Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood had given me when Tyler and I were prepping the party stuff in his living room. Since I was related to Elizabeth Forbes by blood, I was technically a member of a Founding Family, and with my model of a mother and an old money father, they instantly accepted whatever relationship they presumed was there between their son and I. I had asked Tyler of his thoughts about this and he made it clear we were just friends in his eyes, not really caring what everyone else thought.

I agreed as well, but my emotions were getting the better of me. My influence over wind and water was going out of control and they acted up again when I heard about my younger brother. I would've hung out with Winslow the next day - he was always my first choice, but he and Nicole Armstrong had actually gotten serious during the days I was preoccupied. He had claimed he was busy for different projects, but I knew better thanks to the other rumors going through Mystic Falls High. They weren't dating yet, but Caroline had told me they were seen making out yesterday in Mystic Grill. A lunch date?

In wariness with what had happened in New York, I would've totally scorched this girl alive if I didn't realize that I was being quite unfair to my younger brother. Nicole was clearly his rebound girl. For now, I had allowed them to have their fun. I just really hoped for Nicole's sake that she didn't cross paths with me without Winslow around. Then again, I really hoped she did too.

When Caroline had returned, she was positively beaming with joy and gushed about Matt for hours before calming down to tell me about Matt's mom. It angered me when she had told me about running into Kelly Donovan and Damon making out in the Salvatore Boarding House. I was really starting to regret ever helping this dude and actually _associating_ with him if this was how he would act after Sheila's sacrifice. It already passed the terms of _disrespectful_ and _demeaning_ towards her fading memory.

In the good news, Bonnie kept to her promise and had called Caroline and I before ten at night. We kept the conversation light and away from anything having to do about her deceased grandmother. When Caroline left for the bathroom, Bonnie had told me how she was planning on honing her powers to the point where she could protect herself and those she cared about. I had joked about having a match between a Bennett witch and the personification of nature when she came back from wherever she was. At the end, I decided not to tell her of the lost of my control.

School ended up being cancelled today. A storm was heading into Mystic Falls and before she went to work, Elizabeth warned us to stay in the house. Of course, we didn't listen. Caroline already left for Matt's. She invited me along, but today was a slow day for me and I had shaken my head as a no. I didn't want anything to happen spontaneously again or direct any more attention to me; I had enough of attention. Besides, I knew Caroline wanted some alone time with her boyfriend, and I wasn't up to watching them giggle and flirt a few feet away. With a fashion magazine in my hands, I watched as Winslow shrugged on his jacket. "Where are you going?"

He jumped, whirling around to see me on the sofabed. Winslow was awfully dressy with his choice of clothes, his hair combed back, followed with that lingering strong smell of men cologne that Caroline had gotten him as a holiday gift. It surrounded him like a thick, choking fog. "Char! I'm, erm, going out."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that another way of saying Nicole Armstrong's place?"

"You heard?" He blushed.

"Well duh. I'm Chardonnay Blackburn, rumored girlfriend of Tyler Lockwood. Obviously I would've heard," I muttered, tossing the magazine to the coffee table. I didn't feel like watching television with all this gloom spreading around in the town, especially when we expected a storm to come. It made me feel lethargic and under the weather.

Winslow was flustered. "Yeah, about that-"

"It's totally false."

He looked relieved. "Oh, okay, good."

With an eye roll, I stood up and walked him to the door. To my displeasure, I saw Nicole standing beside a baby blue car with her older brother in the driver's seat; I didn't remember his name. She was fairly pretty wearing clothes that looked to be what Caroline would wear during her low days - gray baggy slacks, plain black tank top under a light blue vest, and flashy hot pink sneakers. Her taste in fashion was different, even unique - more artsy and messy than classy and chic, but not every girl had a sense of what was _right _to wear in each season. I had a feeling she didn't care what others thought of her when her gray eyes met mine challengingly. Nicole came short to Winslow's cheekbone in height with her dark red hair merely brushing against her shoulders.

"You know, I haven't even met Nicole yet-"

"Good." Winslow repeated, shooting me a warning look as if I could do anything harmful ten feet away from her. _Oh, yeah, I could._

Feeling merciful, I decided to do nothing and only followed him down the pathway. "I'm bored. She'll entertain me," I told Winslow when he glared at me questioningly.

"I really like her, Char. Don't mess this up for me."

Sparing him an exasperated glance, I pouted but didn't say anything. _If he really likes this girl-_

"Winnie! Good morning!"

Nicole skipped to Winslow with a brightened smile, having the courage to hug him in front of me. At school, girls had seemed unwilling to encounter Winslow when he was at my side, most likely intimidated by my presence. She nuzzled her face at the crook of his neck and sounded as if she was sniffing the cologne off from his clothes, her fingers sneakily running through his layered black hair. I was already gritting my teeth at the sound of his nickname coming from her thin pink lips, then everything changed when she shot me a somewhat vainglorious look above his shoulder.

Now, I was silently fuming. The winds were picking up and I dug my nails into my palms in a sad attempt to calm down. _Hell no. She did not just-_

"Char? This is Nicole," Winslow nudged me to the side, interrupting my thoughts.

"Good morning," she greeted rather cheerfully. Her stare was another matter.

"I'm Char, his older sister." Putting my acting skills to the test to hide my irritation, I shot her a smile.

She replied obnoxiously, "Yeah, he kind of said that already."

"Nicole, was it?" I managed to laugh, ignoring Winslow pointed look. "Well it's finally time we meet. I had heard absolutely _nothing_ about you and I was beginning to think you were fake - er, you know, all made up from Winslow's imagination."

"Then he must've had good taste," Nicole let out a forced giggle. "You, I heard enough about though - in school and from Winnie here."

_She seriously needs to get her own nickname. _"Oh, really? Good things, hopefully."

"Eh, depends."

A gust of wind flew past us and we shivered. It was apparent they thought it was the upcoming storm since I didn't tell Winslow of my control problems either. My younger brother cleared his throat uncomfortably; he already had a feeling that we wouldn't get along. "Well, we better go."

"Yes, please," I muttered under my breath, my attention drifting to the driver. He looked very familiar though his features were similar to Nicole's - ruffled dark red hair and light gray eyes under square-shaped glasses. "Do I know you?" I found myself asking when he shyly glanced at my direction.

"Er, yeah," he adjusted his glasses. Her brother screamed geeky, but he was actually . . . cute with a strong, square jaw and tall, somewhat lanky build. "I-I'm PJ."

"Oh, short for Peter John?"

"No, erm," His face reddened for some reason. "Penley Jacob, actually."

My eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "Penny?"

"Pen_ley._" Nicole snapped.

I straightened from my slouch and waved them off, biting back very rude comments on her. She was only defending her brother from further humiliation and I knew that feeling very well. "Sorry, er, Pen_ley_." I glanced at my younger brother. "Call me later." He nodded from the backseat and they drove off to wherever they were heading to. I jogged back to the living room and picked up another fashion magazine, considering what else there was to do.

Honestly, I was fine with wasting a whole day alone since I didn't have a lot of people to call on for company. There were already a lot of rumors about me and Tyler that I didn't want strengthened with just one visit, Bonnie was still gone from Mystic Falls, and everyone else was either annoying, asking about the rumors, or being avoided by me. I heated leftovers from the refrigerator and switched the television on as a last resort for entertainment. It was past two when someone knocked on the door and I really wished I hadn't answered when I saw who it was.

Damon, Elena, and much to my surprise, _Mr. Saltzman_ were standing in front of me with tense expressions. The elder Salvatore eyed my black shorts appreciatively. "I'm really liking what I see. Nice pajamas,"

I proceeded to slam the door in their faces, but unfortunately with Damon's fast reflexes, he caught it before the door could completely shut them out. Elena and Mr. Saltzman glared at him disapprovingly. "Damon," Elena hissed with harsh warning.

My eyes narrowed at their careful behavior, pulling the door away from Damon's grasp. "What do you want?"

"Can I come in?" Damon asked innocently.

Unable to believe their audacity, I snorted. "You wish." Days before, Stefan had informed me of a few vampire weaknesses - wooden stakes, the sun, and vervain. Wooden stakes were easy to break or burn, their lapis lazuli rings protected them from the sun as long as they wore it, and vervain was hard to come by these days. The only secured protection against unfriendly vampires were that they had to be invited into someone's house, or else they couldn't enter at all.

"I do," he retorted before shoving his way in to my dismay. "Too bad I was already given an invitation in."

"When?" I gaped disbelievingly.

He rolled his eyes. "Remember the barbie doll you live with?"

After all of this, I really couldn't blame Caroline for having such an ass of a boyfriend. The pretty ones were _always_ the jerks. With a frown, I turned to Elena and Mr. Saltzman. "Well, are you going to stand there for the rest of the day or are you going to go inside before I close the door on _you_?"

Knowing exactly who it was I was talking about, Elena glanced away guiltily but conceded to slip past me with Mr. Saltzman on her trail. "We need your help," was what she said after I closed the door behind them. They had made themselves comfortable in the living room while I plopped back to the sofabed, hiding the magazine behind the pillow. I would never hear the end of it from Damon if he saw the subtitles on the cover - _fifteen ways to guarantee a clean breakup with your boyfriend_; the rumors were really bothering me that much.

Mr. Saltzman seemed deep in thought, Elena was - as usual - anxious, and Damon looked impatient. I stared at all of them incredulously. "You think I'm going to help you after Sheila?"

Elena pursed her lips. "It's Stefan, Char. He's been kidnapped."

"I'm sorry - did you say _kidnapped_? A one hundred sixty-two year old _vampire_ got _kidnapped_?"

"Don't wear it out, sweetie," Damon quipped. I fought the urge to throw a pillow at his obnoxious face, curling my hands into fists at my sides. I had a lot of pent up anger towards him and the way he was acting was not helping me keep my cool.

"Today," she clarified, ignoring the blue-eyed vampire.

With a scoff, I said out loud, "Right because he's not old enough to save himself from getting kidnapped. Who the hell would kidnap a seventeen year old?"

"Language," Mr. Saltzman warned.

"We're not at school." I retorted, realizing too late that I talked back to a teacher. I was about to apologize for my blunder, but decided against it last second. There was no way I was going to say sorry in front of Damon. I mean, did he even know how to apologize? When the three of them avoided my inquiring stare - one more pronounced than the others, my scowl deepened. _What is it that they're not telling me? _"If this is your way of trying to sell me something, you're doing a crap job by the way."

"The twenty-five vampires from the tomb got out." Elena blurted out.

Damon shot her an exasperated look. "Nice going."

"They _what_?" I demanded, jumping to my feet. Gusts of wind blasted the unlocked windows open with a loud slam, making everyone jump in surprise. "What do you mean they _got out_? When?"

"Two days ago when you were pointedly avoiding us," he cheekily replied.

Anger flooded through my body once again and I didn't fight it this time; I wanted him to know just how _pissed off_ I was with his attitude for days. Damon was suddenly thrown into the wall with harsh force, knocking a vase to the ground in the process. Thankfully it didn't shatter on impact and rolled away. He began to choke on air as his skin began to gray, hissing vehemently. I didn't know what I was doing, but I could feel every drip of stolen blood in his body, withering under my control. This ability - this _power_ - was overwhelming, even exulting. This was far beyond my comprehension and yet a part of me was welcoming this darker force that had driven me deep within my rage; it was like a monster had escaped its cage.

I barely noticed Elena pulling on my hand against me, pleading with me to let him go until she screamed, "Don't hurt him, Char! We need to help Stefan! I know you must hate us right now because of Bonnie's grandmother. If w-we knew that Katherine wouldn't be there-"

Just with her beginning words, I let out a slow breath, whispering, "I don't hate _you_, Elena."

"Y-You don't?"

"I just needed time to think," I told her, sitting down as the tension left my body with my head down, "but I don't hate you."

That horrid force - a dark side of my personality that I started to fear - dwindled back to the corners of my mind, trapped under the weight of my consciousness. _What was that?_ As much as I wanted answers, I was simply happy that _it_ was gone. She stared at me unsurely but was relieved when color returned to Damon's skin. Gasping for his breath, he was leaning heavily against Mr. Saltzman who was looking at me with wide eyes. _Crap. I forgot about him there._

"Why is he here?" I questioned accusingly.

"He's a vampire hunter."

My mouth hung open slightly. "There are vampire _hunters_ now?"

"I felt the same way," Elena told me quietly.

"But he's our _history teacher_," Mr. Saltzman looked uncomfortable as we were talking about him, but didn't say a word - only shrugging when I turned to him for answers. _That totally explains everything, _I thought with belated sarcasm. "Well, is he a good one?"

"He's a rookie," Damon coughed out, straightening from his crouch. "Couldn't kill me if he tried, and trust me, he _tried_."

"Pity. He would've needed the experience of catching an arrogant vampire like you." I turned away with a forced pout, forcing back the fear that was crawling up my stomach and into my throat. As much as I felt like barfing all over the sofabed, I wanted to forget about what had happened only a few minutes ago; a chill remained in my spine since then. I honestly had no idea the potential damage I could create. "I'm surprised you're still alive with your big head and all."

He shot me a very ugly look but didn't try to retaliate by tossing me into the wall behind me, knowing full well that he probably deserved that - not that Damon would ever say that out loud. He would rather be the one kidnapped than confess of his wrongdoings sober. Mr. Saltzman asked me, a troubled look on his face, "What are you? A witch?"

I repeated the words I used on Noah with a shrug. "Close enough."

Damon rubbed his throat as if I had choked him with my own hands, shooting me yet another exacerbated glare. "Stefan and I were attacked last night-"

"Who wouldn't want to attack you?"

Elena nudged me sharply at my side. "Shut up and listen."

Biting my lip, I slouched on my seat. Damon continued, finally irritated, "Two vampires came to our house and attacked us. Why? I don't know. Was that smart? Obviously not. We managed to kill one - a girl, but the guy escaped."

"Do you know where they are?" I inquired.

He grinned, running his hand through his hair. "Twenty-_five_ vampires are playing _life on a farmhouse_ at the edge of town. They're staying with Anna and Pearl."

"And Pearl being . . ?"

"Anna's mom," Elena answered for Damon.

I made a face; I hadn't forgotten about Annabelle either since she was part of the reason we had to open the tomb as well. Despite her birthright to have her mother by her side, I really couldn't relate at all. She already lived one hundred and forty-five years by herself and she turned out almost normal, pushing aside her tendencies of taking human leverage. Maybe a part of me was just jealous at the loyalty Annabelle had towards Pearl - something I would never feel toward my own. Then again, I was still grieving for a woman I recently met. Whatever it was that I thought of Mother and Daughter were obviously biased. Alarmingly similar to the blue-eyed vampire, _I_ would never admit to my envy.

"All we need to do is kill the man who tried to kill me, get Stefan back, and run like hell-"

"What about the others?" I pointed out with a frown, "You can't just go there, kill a friend of theirs, and then walk out with their hostage. I'm pretty sure they bonded over the last century and a half, considering they were in the same place for that long."

"A frightening image, isn't it?" Damon mocked, "Is that worry in your voice?"

"It's a warning."

"This is Stefan." Seeing the doubt in my face, Elena added pleadingly, "We wouldn't get you involved if this wasn't serious."

"Actually," Mr. Saltzman began, standing up, "I think I'd prefer it if you didn't come. You're just a kid. We're already prepped up with what we need."

Damon grinned. "Oh, yes. You should've seen it Char. I think you would've liked his classroom filled with his anti-vampire toys, particularly under his desk. Probably has one with my name on it too."

"Maybe."

_So Elena - a girl with no powers whatsoever - can blindly go off to save her boyfriend when I couldn't?_ I glared at Mr. Saltzman, offended, but I forced myself to think; I needed to be smart about this and not rush into it like last time. If I got involved in this again, I had to suck up my feelings of dislike for two certain vampires and stick with what I was going to do. To be truthful, I didn't think this would put Winslow or Caroline in danger, and I was already beginning to forgive Elena for her impulses of sympathizing with those who didn't deserve to be sympathized rather easily.

Aside from learning that my teacher was a vampire hunter, I knew I had to do this. _For Stefan._

"I'm going." I announced as I marched to my room to change my clothes. The remaining gifts from our winter vacations were scattered at the foot of my bed, bringing a smile on my face. Quickly changing into loose jeans and a jacket - since this farmhouse was a the edge of town, possibly in the forest, I went back down to the living room.

Damon smirked at Mr. Saltzman. "You just sealed the deal, Alaric. I knew it was a good idea to bring you along."

"I'm not doing it to prove myself," I snapped, putting on my running shoes moodily. "I'm doing it to help a friend."

"You'd rescue me, wouldn't you?" Damon arched an eyebrow.

"Why couldn't it been you who got kidnapped?" I wondered out loud almost longingly. Then I couldn't care less about the consequences and would've shoved this recuse party out of the living room and out of the house _way_ before.

Mr. Saltzman, or Alaric, turned to me with a slight smile. "I think everyone's thinking that."

There was an internal battle raging in his eyes that anyone could easily see, so much strife for something that didn't really connect to him. Stefan was only his student so why was _he_ helping out? If it was another one of Damon's deals, I could partially understand. Damon kept to his word about leaving Caroline and Bonnie alone - kind of. So what had gotten Alaric so conflicted? I would've asked when I caught myself just seconds away from being too nosy, and continued locking up behind us before squeezing in the backseat with Elena in Damon's flashy sports car.

It confused me as to why I strangely cared for Alaric's thoughts and forced the bewilderment away. _It's not the time for this. I need to focus._

"Thank you," Elena murmured, turning to me with her dark brown doe eyes.

"Don't thank me yet." I looked past the window and watched the trees rush by. Turning to Damon with a resigned sigh, I asked, "So, what's your plan?"

* * *

-The New World-

1024

"Heidi . . ." Rebekah's smooth voice called almost teasingly.

"Yes?" I immediately turned away from the direction I was looking at, and glanced at her grin with a heated face.

She smirked. "Pay attention."

From where we sat in the study room, the sun provided light to let me see her face clearly. Her beautiful light blond hair was twisted into a neat braid down the middle of her back, complimenting the dress she wore that was the color of rich lavender. It puzzled me on why she was so _benign _towards me. Only my family and Tatia showed me such pleasantness and interest to have my company before; never had a girl of her stature desired to be in the same room as me. Rebekah had sought my company one fine morning and had stayed with me like a long lost companion. Once fearing her, now I welcomed her somewhat erratic and loyal personality.

It had been two days since my confrontations with Niklaus, Anita, and Uncle Johan. Two days since my first and last kiss with Elijah and despite being told almost _everything_ of their known history - of how they were blood hungry creatures who were immune to most of all the life-ending threats of a human life, but not how they came to be - I was still attracted to this man, this beast who hid behind a human face. He was not as different as before, even with seeing him in a new light. Elijah was still the man I met that fateful afternoon, the one I could not forget through the days of chores and hard work, and the person who still held my affections.

I was once alarmed with the side of him I was clueless about and throughout the two days, I came to accept the fact that he was not human anymore but a creature of the night, protected from the sun through rings of precious blue stone. _But he had killed someone_, my conscience argued. _Does that not matter?_

Truth be told, I could not fight my infatuations. Rebekah was aware of my feelings for her oldest brother - perhaps all along she had known, and frequently caught me wearing a dazed expression, openly ogling at Elijah when I thought no one was looking. It was embarrassing, to say the least. "Had I done it again?" I asked her sheepishly.

"It is nothing to be ashamed about," she giggled, her light blue eyes flickering to the man far behind me. "I understand how you feel."

_She has been in love before?_ I froze at my thought; I was not in love with Elijah - I couldn't be. Hesitant with my word choice, I inquired, "How so?"

Her eyes turned dark for a brief moment. "It has been a long time since then."

Trying to understand, I only nodded. I did not want to upset her with a past love from many years ago, and returned to the book Rebekah was teaching me to read. It was from Magdalene that I learned the basics of reading and writing, but the sentences in Rebekah's books were too complex for me to comprehend alone. She had made it her duty to fill my mind with basic logic that not many ladies had here. Like Aunt Sylvia, Rebekah did not want me to live on fantasies alone. She and her family had brought a few things with them throughout their travels as well as country maps, segments of literature, and thick journals filled with so much history.

Our story times made the days seem quick and nimble compared to the very long and tiring afternoon two days before. I had felt like a child when she first read to me aloud, but Rebekah was telling me of unknown cultures of unusual lands called Greece and Egypt. Many stories of mythology were born from its wonderous cities and I immediately became attached when the words fell from her lips and into my ears. "So what of these?" I inquired. Once she continued her story of a very complicated family tree of the Greek gods, I sneaked another peek at the third presence in the small room, unable to help myself once more.

The image of him in my mind was a rather guilty addiction for me. Elijah was leaning against the shelf and stood next to the open window, the gentle breeze reaching my warm skin. He wore a sleeveless leather vest that showed off his muscled arms quite nicely - the same arms that were once around my small frame - and he held an old book in his hands, carefully slipping through the pages. His long waves showered over most of his face, but the sight of his intense oak brown eyes alone, I could see his concentration as he read. Elijah and I had spoken a few times since our decision to separate, but it was painfully civil and polite, not as heartfelt as it was before.

"Heidi," Rebekah scolded lightly. I could hear another smirk in her voice and quickly whirled around. "Have you read to your satisfaction? It shall be a waste of time if your attention is elsewhere."

My face reddened, embarrassed. "Er-!"

I knew Elijah could hear our conversation despite the distance between us and hoped that he was too far gone in thought to notice her words. I was told of their incredible speed, remarkable strength, and the heightened sensitivity of their senses - vision, hearing, and smell. Absentmindedly, I found myself wondering if _touch_ was different for him as it was for me, recalling all those caresses on my skin. _The kiss_, a voice whispered in my head.

"No," I squeaked out, brushing the hair out of my face and taking a calming breath. _If we are to be companions, then we must act as such. Elijah is respecting my wishes and is doing his part - now I must do mine. I will not act hypocritical once again. _"Please continue."

Rebekah's smile only grew. "Such enthusiasm is notable for a student, but I feel weary of teaching today. I will retire to my room."

"I shall walk you there," I offered.

Before I could stand however, she firmly put her hand on my shoulder and gently pushed me back to my seat. "There is no need, Heidi. I do not require your assistance to reach my room for I know where it is, but we shall meet before supper, yes?"

_She will leave me alone with Elijah? _My eyes widened at her antics. "Are you certain?"

She smiled a little too slyly. "Of course. If you desire it so much, then will it bother you if Elijah continues our session?"

"I do not mind to accept such a task." I had not heard Elijah's soft footsteps behind me and jumped when his alluring voice was near.

Feeling two pairs of eyes on me, I shifted at my seat to face the intruder of my thoughts. As much as I wanted to refuse and hide away from the situation I was placed, I also wanted to spend time with the brown-haired man. Meekly, I nodded though my heart pounded against my chest, knowing full well they could hear its frantic beating. Thankfully they made no inclination that they did. His younger sister beamed at us. "That is very great news. Good studying to you both. I wish to hear on progress during supper." We could still see the growing grin on her lips as she left.

My voice was high-pitched with nervousness. I could not compose myself under his soft stare, a gentle action for someone who had murdered before. _Yes, a killer_, my conscience screamed. Nevertheless, I reddened at his regard. "Um, I do not want to bother you with things such as this, Elijah. Y-You seemed focused on other books earlier."

"I take it that you saw," he noted with amusement. Elijah knew I had been watching him.

Glancing down at the table, I slid the aged book from Rebekah's spot in front of me and ignored what he said. "She was explaining the cultures of Greece. From the tales she told me, it sounds like a beautiful country - full of adventure and emotion . . . food."

He nodded, taking a seat beside me and smiling at my favor for their culinary arts. "Have you eaten?"

Preoccupied, I could feel warmth radiating from his body and that did not help to slow my heart. "Um, y-yes . . ."

We then slowly spoke of some of the Greek gods - from Zeus, Poseidon, then to Hades. I was stuttering over my sentences while Elijah kept his cool expression as always. I did not like what Rebekah planned for the both of us, but I appreciated her efforts. The stories of the Greeks sounded much more appealing with his entrancing, smooth voice - far more captivating than when Rebekah told them. I found myself gradually looking from the paragraphs of the page to his handsome face, shyly eyeing his lips that moved with a steady pace. If I had leaned any further, perhaps if he met me halfway, we could have kissed.

_A kiss_, the voice whispered in my head again. I wanted him to kiss me. As if sensing my thoughts, his oak brown eyes suddenly flickered down to mine. "Are you listening?"

I quickly looked down, faking attentiveness as best as I could. "Hmm, it was, um, enlightening."

"It is not good to lie, Heidi," Elijah told me, his breath washing over my face.

Peeking up to him under my eyelashes, I realized how close we were. Both of us had leaned against the edge of the table to see the pages of the small book, slowly drawing nearer to each other without our knowledge - or to mine. Elijah didn't look surprised at all, only expecting - waiting for me to instigate any of my desires. The air in my lungs were caught in my throat. This was what I wanted to avoid and yet secretly fantasized. My fight for Anika's sake didn't seem all that important anymore, now that I was caught in his mesmerizing gaze.

"Eli-"

We broke apart at the sound of books dropping to the flat surface of stone, turning to see his youngest brother standing beside the entrance. "Heidi, dearest brother - I wish both of you a cheerful afternoon," Henrik greeted us, pointedly disregarding our past positions.

"H-Henrik," I smiled in reply, blushing in surprise.

Elijah didn't look pleased at the interruption but nodded in welcome. "What has brought you here, brother?"

"I had wanted to speak with Heidi,"

"M-Me?" I gasped.

His light brown eyes brightened as he made his way over my chair. "Tis a lovely day to visit Tatia, yes?"

Unable to control myself, I gasped again. I had been eagerly waiting for a time like this. Elijah and Rebekah were hesitant to let me go, especially after knowing of what Niklaus had tried to do - or _didn't_ do. They had told me to keep my patience for the day that would be alright for such a thing and I obediently did as they asked, for I knew it was for my wellbeing that they were worried. Excitedly turning to Elijah, I questioned with new vigor, "May we?"

"What of Klaus?"

"Do not worry. I spoke to him early this morning," Henrik replied confidently. "He shall not try such a thing as before - he swore."

"He swore many things," Elijah pointed out stiffly.

"Do you wish to decline such a face?"

I flushed as they both turned to me, the sentences escaping my mouth before I could think, "I-If a visit causes such t-trouble, I am content w-with waiting then."

Henrik glanced at his older brother, inquisitive. They stared at each other evenly, a thousand messages passing through them that I could not decipher. I did not pause to think that they were challenging each other in authority. With a sigh, Elijah nodded a little reluctantly. "Return safely, _both_ of you. It is not safe to be late in these nights."

Giving them both a grateful smile, I rushed to my feet. "Thank you, Elijah. I am grateful."

The younger brother took my hand in his, a smile growing on his lips when Elijah glared at his actions. "A good day to you, Elijah," he somewhat taunted teasingly.

"Yes, good day!"

As Henrik's skin met mine, I felt another touch of death but paid no attention to it. This was a fine day indeed - too great to be dampened by trivial feelings of caution. I had slowly grew acquainted with that foreign feeling; I had to if I planned to stay with them. When I followed Henrik out of the study, I did not notice Elijah's lingering stare at our backs. If I had seen that - if I had taken a moment to glance behind, I would not have titled this moment to be one of pure happiness, but one mixed with melancholy.


	14. Certain Things Left Unsaid

_Heidi finally has the lead! There's a lot to explain about the last update. Sorry if it seemed rushed! I'll explain it further in this one - meaning: more Heidi, Tatia, the Originals, and my plot that I created BY MYSELF. Please do not copy [Chardonnay, Winslow, Heidi, other characters...]! I do not own Vampire Diaries! I'm also sorry if it appears I'm skipping good parts on Heidi's story like a few "uh-oh" scenes between with Heidi and Henrik - a lot of eyebrows raising up right now. You know, stuff to make Elijah jealous [I'll put a_ few_ along so don't feel deprived]. More things to be expected soon and thanks for reading this far! Any spelling mistakes is due to my lack of sleep - totally my fault! Enjoy it, read it, and **review** it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Certain Things Left Unsaid**

-The New World-

1024

"You two seem acquainted," Henrik observed aloud.

I glanced at him, a blush growing on my cheeks. We had spent halfway of the walk to Tatia's home in pleasant silence for I did not want to talk about what he _thought_ he saw between his brother and I, and I could not think of what to say to distract him. The peaceful scenery had been enough before though it was a wasted effort in the end, now that Henrik's attention was on me - not in the empty thickets far from the trail. Not having the heart to play ignorant, I replied with a forced smile, "He is my friend as is your sister, Rebekah. They have treated me well these past few days."

His head tilted to the side with gentle regard. "Are we friends of that sort?"

"If you wish to be," I murmured shyly, "you are somewhat easier to talk to."

"That is because I am the youngest." A small frown grew on his lips, ruining the image of his past cheerfulness.

"Do you find that displeasing?" I asked. Henrik suddenly wore a serious expression and slowed his steps to a stop. From the few times I had seen him, he always wore a smile and held a thick aura of buoyancy and optimism compared to his older siblings. Watching such a solemn face settle on his, it made me a little worried for his sake and my own.

I could not disregard that he was the sire of my uncle and I had avoided him for days until he confronted me once Rebekah and Elijah left my side yesterday's afternoon. A strong surge of embarrassment ran through my body as I recalled the way he had cornered me at the end of the hallway, demanding why I had ceased any discourse between us. I did not wish to slip the news Niklaus had so disloyally taunted to me, but my anxiety for Uncle Johan's sake overshadowed any hesitancy that day. It surprised me greatly when Henrik had spoken of Niklaus in the study room, but I was also relieved that I did not ruin their relationship - _hopefully._

He told me of how Niklaus had been careless with his hunt for a human meal. Uncle Johan had been his victim and once Niklaus had left him for dead, Henrik learned of my his relation to me before giving Uncle Johan his own blood minutes to his death. He had saved my uncle and for that I was ever grateful, but under my thankfulness was anger. Niklaus had killed Uncle Johan, taking any choice to stay with his wife away from him. He was still new for his strange cravings for blood and we both did not want Aunt Sylvia in the face of danger.

I shivered at the thought of Niklaus mercilessly killing villagers, especially when he hunted _me_ for fun, but I was later reassured by Elijah and Rebekah that he did not kill if he kept his hunger under control. I had a very strong feeling that this did not happen often and their assurances were of no use. I avoided Niklaus as if he was the plague itself and had not seen him since his sadistic jest. It was humiliating when Rebekah had to wake me up through the nightmares I suffered during my sleep, having her comfort me when she too needed her rest.

Their animalistic nature was hard to discipline and as far as that was to comprehend for a human, I could not stop them from whatever they wished to do. They had yet to tell me of the origins of my power and my influence over earth and fire alone was not powerful against their speed and strength. As much as I wanted to know what I was, my thirst for that knowledge hardly compared for my worry for my family and my curiosity was pushed to the back corners of my mind. For now.

Coming back from my thoughts when I felt his hand around mine, I turned to Henrik, puzzled. His eyes held a rooted smolder that caused my heart to race. "You forget I am older than you, Heidi."

Flushing with timidity, I slipped away from his grasp. Henrik was rather forward as Elijah was not with his emotions in public. It made it easier to guess on how he felt whenever I talked to him, but it was times like these when I noticed he was a bit too audacious with his actions. "My apologies if I gave you that impression for it is easy to forget with the face you wear." I paused. "Do you not favor immortality as most of your family does? Plenty of men would wish a fate such as yours."

"I stay for my family," he answered, "but I do not want _this_ youth as my mask. It has created disputes before."

"Disputes?" I could not imagine how anyone could be bothered by youth.

Henrik turned to me as if he remembered something, almost seeing me in a new light. "I suppose Niklaus has told you of Berenike."

Ignoring the thrill of fear from his older brother's name, my eyes widened on their own accordance. I had not done what was told of me when it came to asking of her to Elijah. It was not my concern anymore, but that did not take away my interest of her. "You know of Berenike?"

"I was in love with her." When he saw the shock on my face, his lips twitched in amusement but that did not hide the sadness in his brown eyes. "Do not appear so astonished."

"B-But I-I had been told of her relationship with, er, Elijah . . ." My voice drifted off with dejection. I was not sure if it had for Henrik's benefit or for mine. _Compose yourself_, I scolded in my head. Under my faded cloud of jealousy, I pitied the immortal beside me. Henrik had loved her but she was known as Elijah's lover. From how she was regarded by both Niklaus and Henrik, Berenike meant a lot to the youngest and oldest brothers of their family. I secretly wondered if she too had been friends with Rebekah.

"There is nothing to be envious of, Heidi." Henrik told me as we returned to our walk to Tatia's home. "Nearly eight centuries has passed since her untimely death. There is no one else to compete for Elijah's affections in the present today."

"I am rather ashamed," I murmured, looking at the ground with a mixture of feelings fighting inside me. Eight centuries was a long time for Elijah to move on, but I selfishly found myself asking if he truly had instead of marveling at the impressive number of years they had lived through. Had they been living past those eight centuries? Perhaps a millennia? I honestly did not deserve their kindness with thoughts like mine. "Is that how I appear to you? A covetous maiden who seeks one's attention?"

Henrik shook his head at me. "If that was how my statement had sounded, I did not mean it in such a way. It is only obvious of your attachment to my eldest brother, and he to you."

"May you tell me of her, if you do not mind me asking?" My heart had skipped a beat at his claim, but I ignored it.

He did not seem to be offended by my inquiry. "She was a beautiful woman who once resided in the islands of Greece."

I gasped. "Greece? Had she been born there?"

"Very much so," he replied with ease as if we weren't speaking of the girl who he once held passion for. "She had been a wealthy merchant's daughter and past eighteen years. Golden curls and bronze skin from her travels with her father, Berenike had rivaled my sister's beauty quite easily. Elijah and I were immediately taken with her, but it had taken Rebekah much time to accept her for Berenike reminded my sister of a past friend. Her death came after eight years of our introductions, only two after their engagement."

"Elijah had been engaged?"

"You must ask him of that himself," Henrik told me, amused.

I turned away from his gaze, processing what had been told of their relationship. Never had I thought of their bond to be so intimate. "I merely ask out of curiosity, Henrik. I have no need to be jealous of his past."

"Your reactions tell me otherwise,"

"What of you?" I changed the subject in a blunt manner. "Did you not fight for her?"

"Berenike had made her decision." Henrik said concisely. Before I could say anything else, he nodded forward. "We are nearing your friend's abode."

If that was to be a distraction, it worked well. My thoughts of Berenike disappeared as excitement took its place. It had been days since I had seen my friend and this would be the first time as a free maiden, to stand beside her on equal ground. Her home had not changed during my slumber but I was disappointed that the flowers in her back garden had wilted from the lack of care. It had been my task to water them throughout springtime and my affinity for plants and the like assisted me greatly with this charge.

It was Ellinor who opened the door; she was an elder of the village who was crippled with old age, but generously took care of both Tatia and Charlotte. She was rather partial to my friendship with Tatia but did not try to force us apart - for what could an old lady do against two young maidens who had free will to do what they wished? That sadly did not mean she would be particularly hospitable to me. Her dark eyes shot me a slight glare before turning her attention to Henrik completely.

"What has brought you here, young man?"

He grimaced briefly before returning to his usual mask of civility. "We seek Tatia's presence. Do you know of her location?"

"She is in the fields as usual." Ellinor frowned at his question before shutting the door.

Henrik and I exchanged glances before I led him to the meadow. There was nothing said between us after his thoughts of Elijah's past fiancée.

It was a short walk but once we reached the edges of the forest, the sight before us was scandalous. Tatia was pressed against a tree by a man of blond hair with their lips locking together in a passionate dance. Her arms were tightly wrapped his neck with one of her legs hitched around the man's waist, his fingers sliding further down her skin that was concealed by the skirt of her red dress. From where Henrik and I stood much to my embarrassment, we could hear their pleasured moans growing louder and louder before the last. I was shocked into silence but Henrik was more entertained than astonished.

It was only when we saw the man's smirking face did Henrik's smile fell off his face. _"Niklaus?"_

My eyes widened considerably more. _No, it cannot be._

The couple turned to face us with Tatia wearing an expression of fright until it turned to relief once she met my eyes. "Heidi!" She cried out in joy before slipping out of Niklaus' arms and into mine. I stumbled at the force of her hug but returned it with the same enthusiasm, bringing myself out of my frozen state of horror. "You are well! Oh, how I have missed you Heidi!"

"I have missed you too, Tatia!" I mumbled into her shoulder, inhaling the smell of flowers into my lungs.

"What is it that you are doing?" I heard Henrik his at his older brother. His voice sounded strained with guilt - but why?

Niklaus' replied smoothly, "It is not any different from your plan, is it not? I was intrigued with your idea for a visit to Tatia's."

Before Henrik could reply, Tatia and I broke apart and shared similar smiles before we turned to the two brothers. "This surprise is truly wonderful, Klaus. I cannot imagine one that could bring me so much delight compared to the wellbeing of my friend. You and your family have generously bought her freedom and has done more for Heidi than I ever could."

I gaped. "Please do not say such things, Tatia. You have given me more than I could deserve."

She frowned at my words. "Do not tell me you still believe the lies the village-"

"Of course not," I assured her quietly. My lips twitched to a small smile despite my anxiousness for my friend's sudden relationship with Niklaus. "You would never allow that to happen."

"We have much to discuss, brother," Henrik murmured, troubled.

"As do we," I agreed, glancing at Niklaus with a tiny glare before looking at Tatia. At the corner of my eye, I did not miss the smirk growing on his face and neither did Henrik for he immediately took a hold on Niklaus' arm before dragging him away. Tatia and I made ourselves comfortable at the base of the tree, tucking our legs underneath us before continuing our conversation. She looked happier now that I could study her closely. Her eyes were brighter and her cheeks were full of color. Forcing back my panic, I asked as calmly as I could, "How long had this occurred?"

A blithesome grin grew on her already bruised lips. "Such a wonderful man, Heidi! I had considered the worst of him for Klaus had been with Yvonne then he spoke to me several moons ago. It has been merely _different_ since then."

"How had Yvonne reacted to that?"

"She does not matter," Tatia shrugged gingerly as if cringing from a wound on her arm. If I had looked any closer, I would have seen smears of blood on her sleeve. "Yvonne does not have a voice in my life, not will she ever."

Had she been compelled? I shook my head of such thoughts and forced another smile. "What of Jakob?"

"Jakob?" She echoed uncertainly. "H-He is of the past, is he not?"

"And of Charlotte?"

"What of Lottie? What are you inquiring? Are you not happy for me?"

"I am," I answered almost immediately. "It is interest that drives my questions, Tatia, nothing else for I too am worried for your wellbeing."

She reached for him hand and gave mine a light squeeze. The cool wind passed us with gentle drafts but it gave me no comfort from her startling ease. "He is benign towards me and shows favor with Charlotte. It had been shocking at first, but I realized that he is a man who does not care for only my beauty alone. Niklaus finds me rather intelligent and Charlotte amusing." When I nodded, she straightened at her spot with an expectant expression. "What of you?"

I blinked in response. "Pardon?"

"My clueless friend," Tatia began a little teasingly, "you were graciously gifted with free will from years of subjection and treated with utmost care when you were ill. I had heard you remained at Haldor and Lilly's home for days with your dear Elijah. Something had been bound to happen, did it not?" My face heated with bashfulness and Tatia let out an exultant laugh. "Something _has_ happened! Tell me with your words, I dare you!"

"Tatia," I muttered uncomfortably.

"Heidi," she mocked. "I have told you of my news. Tis only fair for you to return the favor."

This was a topic I had considered speaking with Rebekah for she knew Elijah best, but Tatia was here now and she knew _me_. I found myself speaking with an urgency I never noticed in myself before. "Oh, Tatia! I must confess that his actions were very puzzling and it has brought me nothing but confusion and remorse. The day I was, um, cured of my illness, we had exchanged a kiss full of passion and_ possibility_-"

"He has taken your first kiss? You have grown for I must admit that I did not expect such a response from you." Looking at the frustration on my face, she cleared her throat and said to me sympathetically. "You may continue."

"Only moments before admitting our predilections and accepting his promise of companionship did we kiss but," I trailed off sullenly, "it is over now. It was my fault."

Her eyes narrowed. "Finish your tale . . ."

With a sigh, I did as she asked and stared up in the sky, unable to meet her questioning gaze. "After affirming the titles of lovers, I had learned of his involvements with terrible acts - things I cannot support as his, erm, partner. He did not appear betrayed or outraged when I had told him of my feelings, but he looked as if he had expected my reaction all along." When my eyes flickered back to her, she offered me an encouraging look. "Why had Elijah offered me weak ties as sweethearts when he had known it would not last?"

Bewildered to see a smile on her face once again, I blushed when she questioned, "Would you have acted on your impulses were you not lovers?"

"I would never-"

"Would you have welcomed his kisses and sweet embrace-"

_"Tatia!"_

She wore a smirk of her own. "Elijah is slyer than I had made him out to be."

"Er, what do you mean?"

"Is it not obvious?" Tatia grinned, pinching my cheeks with abrupt cheeriness. "He has tricked you, Heidi! Elijah had spoken of promises that were not as honest as they appeared to be to _steal_ your first kiss. Elijah wanted you selfishly and he desired a token - reassurance of some kind - of your feelings for him before he could not touch you as freely as he once could. I find that clever of him."

"That cannot be!" I argued, my heart pounding against my chest. _It could not be true._ "Through all the trickery and schemes, he would surely not waste much thought on _me_."

"Are you not mad?" She challenged.

As I pondered over my emotions, I strangely felt no anger at the revelation of his plot, but rather elated that he went such through trouble to be awarded with a single kiss. "No," I found myself answering softly, "I am not mad."

"Had you promised your loyalty to Elijah?"

My face scrunched up in bemusement. "How do you know of such a thing?"

"I am your friend, Heidi. Your loyalty to those you care about is what I admire about you," she answered simply, inching near. "I suspect he is merely biding his time before you run back to his arms. He has no one else to worry for to steal your attention away."

Staring at her incredulously, I squirmed in my spot. That did somewhat explain why Elijah looked as if he were waiting on something to appear. "Unbelievable," I whispered in realization.

"What was it that has driven you two apart?"

I faltered on her words and shook my head with another sigh. "It is not meant to be."

Instead of pushing with her usual persistance, Tatia brushed the loose hair that drifted away from my bun. "I am sure things will brighten in the future, then perhaps you shall be as happy as I am. For your sake, I hope." We both turned to the sound of rustling trees and saw Niklaus as he went through the thickets of the forest, making his way to us with an unreadable expression. "Is that blood?"

We eyed the stains of red on his shirts and I instantly feared for the girl named Anika. Tatia jumped to her feet and picked up her skirts to rush to his side before I could stop her. "Are you harmed, Klaus?"

I struggled to stand but when I managed, I did not inch any closer to the couple than I was comfortable with, particularly when Henrik was not in sight. There was no one else who could equal Niklaus' strength to protect me if he decided to play his patronizing game again. Looking away when they leaned closer to meet lips, I was a little disturbed when Tatia suddenly walked away. She was heading to the direction of her house without a glance backward. Then I comprehended with dread that they had not shared a kiss, but instead, he had compelled her to leave.

_And he is now walking my way._

Unnerved, I pulled myself up and forced myself not to flee. I would not feed his desire to see me run away, no matter how frightened I became but that was easier said than done. My heart began to race when he drew nearer, hating the diverted expression he wore. "What have you done to her?" I demanded, looking anywhere but his eyes. "I-Is A-Anika-"

"She is but going home," I felt his hand on my chin and I slapped it away boldly. "But Anika is another story for another time."

_Anika_, I thought sadly. Riled, I accused, "You are using her!"

His voice was filled with infuriating mirth. "Is that jealousy I hear?"

Provoked, I made the mistaking of meeting his stare with a glare. "Do not mock . . !" I couldn't hope to finish my argument when I was suddenly enraptured by the deep color of blue of his piercing eyes.

The sentences that fell from his mouth were distorted together, warping into sayings overlapping the one before it. It sounded complete gibberish to my ears. I did not understand a word he said but for some reason, that did not matter. The next thing I knew I was in the room I shared with Rebekah, standing in front of the mirror with a dazed expression on my face. Blinking a few times to clear the fog in my head, my hands instinctively reached for my neck. I was relieved to feel no bite marks or blood of any kind, but a throbbing ache lingered beneath the pale skin.

The next thing that captured my attention were my swollen lips. They had not felt this way since I last kissed Elijah, unwittingly healing the fatigue of my body. From the things Elijah and his family already knew about my origins, apparently I obtained nature's gift of giving and taking life - the _kisses_ of life and death in other terms. _I feed on their basic energy and suck out their life force . . ._

Really, it felt as if I was just like them without the bloodlust; and it explained how I had taken Elijah's force of energy without drinking his blood for its healing capabilities. Yet despite knowing my extra abilities, I did not find the answers to the questions that were building within me each day. I was still scared of learning things I was not ready to know.

But who had I kissed?

I felt the edges of a choker on my neck and my eyes lowered to marvel at its exquisiteness. It was made of three colored metal and its pendant, a delicate silver flower, shined brilliantly against the base of my throat. It was undeniably beautiful and had such a unique scent. _I know this smell._ It was painfully familiar - its memory so close and yet far from reach, but I did not doubt the security it made me feel. I jumped at the sound of the door opening and saw Rebekah entering the room.

"Oh, Heidi," she walked towards me curiously, "how had the study gone?"

"With Elijah?" I asked, my voice filled with weariness. "It went fine."

Rebekah frowned, assuming a diverse response from the one I had given her. "Are you feeling well? You sound odd." When I nodded in reply, she noticed the necklace and awareness lit up in her blue eyes. "Heidi . . ."

"Is something wrong?"

_Blue eyes. What is it about her blue eyes that alarms me? _"Who gave that to you?"

My fingers brushed the pendant and a thrill went up my spine. _Why is this giving me this feeling of insurance? _The answers that escaped from me were not my own, but peculiarly enough, my heartbeat nor the tone of my voice did not waver as it usually did when I fabled. "Tis was a parting gift from my aunt. She had given this to Tatia for she somehow knew I would visit her when I could. It had belonged to my mother and is the most prized possession my family owns."

_Lies!_

Pleased with what I had said and not suspecting deceit, she let out a tired sigh and took my hands with watchful eyes. "My brothers thought it be best if I would be the one to tell you, but I am afraid that you will not like the news I bring."

"What is it?" I gave her the attention she called for.

Rebekah wasted no time and replied, "Anika is dead. My brothers recently found her body up the stream, but I can promise you that we had no hand in her death. I am sure Niklaus is innocent as well for he had use of her still." She waited for my reaction patiently, perhaps a cry of horror or a gasp of shock, and seemed startled that I gave neither. I only stared at her with puzzlement.

"Who is this Anika you speak of?"

* * *

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2010

"Your plan sucks," I told Damon for the tenth time. The first five times had been inside his sports car while the last four had been during our walk. We were hiking up the hills and past the trees to the farmhouse where Stefan was being held captive, the cold biting against my skin.

At the corner of my eye, Elena was practically nodding in agreement. "And why is Mr. Saltzman going alone on this?"

He let out a forced laugh full of irritation. _Good, at least he knows how it feels to be annoyed at someone__ instead of being the one who did the annoying things. _"Well weren't you two the one who wanted to do this subtly?"

Elena and I rolled our eyes in unison. "I'm the best one for this type of job," I tried one last time. For some reason, I felt uneasy letting Alaric go inside a house of vampire alone and there was no doubting that they would kill him for his blood. He had told me of the ring he wore that would bring him back to life but I was far from assured and neither was Elena.

"This isn't time to be petty, sweetie," Damon scolded me mockingly. "Besides, if they kill Alaric - and we all know they will, it'll be like killing two birds with one stone."

"I can take care of myself," Alaric lightly glared at all of us. "I just love how the three of you - two who are _younger _than me, by the way - are talking about my safety like I'm not right here."

"When today is over," Damon began with a hopeful grin, "you might just won't be."

I couldn't help myself and he was shoved forward with a particularly strong gale of air. Damon whirled around to glare at me, probably wondering how much it would cost him if we started a fight right here and now. Elena stared at us with wide us as if preparing herself to jump in between us and looked relieved when Alaric called over his shoulder warningly. "Play nice you two. Let's just get this over with before you guys start playing around with each other again."

"Ew," I muttered under my breath.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind that . . ."

Glaring at him, I opened my mouth to snap something offensive when Elena shoved her way to face Damon. "Enough! Remember Stefan! He needs our help_ now_."

I rolled my eyes at her, feeling my agitation fade. "I don't think he'll like having you here during the actual rescuing."

She turned to me angrily, wearing a sour expression. "I didn't come all this way to do _nothing_. I want to help and I will."

"What exactly can you do, Elena?" I asked, meaning no offense to my words but she seriously needed to be practical. "Damon's a hundred and sixty-nine year old vampire, Mr. Saltzman's, erm, a _beginning_ hunter," I avoided his offended look that he shot at my direction, "and I'm, well, whatever it is that I am. What's going to be your choice of attack? You can't sneak up on a vampire and stab him in the back with a stake. All you'll end up doing is pissing him off and getting yourself killed."

"Vervain," Elena rebutted instantly.

I let out a disappointed sigh. "That's your answer to everything, isn't it?"

Miffed, she turned away from me. Damon let out a laugh. "As amusing as it is to watch this episode of _who'll kick more vampire ass_, you two will be staying here for now."

I was honestly fine with waiting here as defense despite the gut feeling that told me to follow. I had followed my instincts before and it led me to knowing all this supernatural stuff I wasn't even ready for, and that was major thumbs down for my supposed sharp intuitions. Elena, on the other hand, gaped. "_What?_ No!"

"Elena-"

She interrupted my sentence and snapped, "I want to help so let me!"

Damon frowned at her stubbornness. "Look we need to focus on saving my brother and I can't do that when I have to watch both of our backs."

"It's for the best," I offered pathetically.

Alaric snorted from afar, hearing what I said. "Unbelievable."

Catching the disbelieving look that Damon gave me, I childishly stuck my tongue out in reply. "Shut up!" He of all people should have known that I wasn't the best person to receive assurance from, especially when I was in a mood.

Elena crossed her arms in defiance but watched with a gloomy gaze as Damon and Alaric disappeared past the trees. We both glanced up at the sunrise in silence. I didn't care much for a conversation and kept my guard up around the area while Elena was busy being agitated with me. It would only be half an hour before it was dark soon. I was not comfortable with being in the middle of the forest in the dark and alone with Elena, who I knew was planning to escape my line of sight.

To be honest, I was actually wondering what she would try to do, and the corners of my lips twitched up when she faked the wave of tears that appeared in her dark brown eyes. "I'm sorry, Char. I just really want to see Stefan right now," Elena murmured into her hands.

"I'm sure you do."

"It's just - ugh! I'm so worried."

"I'm sure you are."

She peeked upward with a scowl. "I'm not fooling you, am I?"

"Do I look stupid?" When I caught sight of her dejected face, I groaned aloud. _The things I do for my friends_ - wait, I never had much friends. This was literally a first thing for me, the closest I felt to what the world called _best friends_, and apart of me was feeling rather sympathetic to people I barely even knew; I was pathetic. "Elena, you're my friend-"

"Then help me," Elena begged. "I _promise_ I won't run off. They need our help whether they know it or not."

"Stefan's going to kill me," I pointed out grimly. "If he won't, Damon definitely will."

_"Please."_

With a frown, I grabbed her forearm and stared at her determined eyes with a glare of my own. "If you die tonight, Elena, I _swear_ I will find a way to resurrect your will-be sorry ass back to life before killing you myself with my own hands. You are _glued_ to my hip. We'll go back if we can't do anything to help, alright?"

A flash of hesitancy filled her features, and that was followed by guilt. She launched herself at me with a hug, whispering, "I owe you, Char!"

"Your boyfriend will kill me," I reminded her again. Elena looked uncertain but followed behind me silently. The house was in view but we were wary of my surroundings. A few snaps of breaking branches and my attention slid away from Elena. It did not take long for her to slip away from me the moment I became distracted.

"Damn it," I hissed. _Never trust a girl with a kidnapped boyfriend. _My primary focus switched from finding Damon to finding Elena and _then_ kicking her for her idiocy.

I heard muffled music from afar and made my way to it, staying behind the trees. Despite my infuriation of her impulsive nature, I was a little entertained to see her crouching around the corner of the house. She eyed the vampire in front of her warily, but he didn't seem to hear her since his attention was on a rectangular device that looked like an iPod connected to a portable speaker. Much to my disbelief, she aimed horribly and ended up tripping on the broken pieces of wood at her feet, literally stabbing the vampire in the ass with her wooden stake. I would've laughed at the irony of it but he started to scream in pain.

Jumping out of my hiding spot, I quickly forced the air out of his lungs with my influence over it, causing his short scream to turn to a breathless wheeze; he was suffocating. Elena looked at me in a mixture of apology and relief. Before I could snap every bad word I felt like screaming at her deception, someone appeared by our side in a blink of an eye and shoved a wooden stake through the vampire's heart. I saw Damon low on the ground, furious as ever - at me of all people. It was as if the pretty brunette wasn't even beside him.

He growled in annoyance, "You know I love how you're difficult as hell to deal with but didn't you think it's a bad time to try and get my attention? I mean, _right now_?"

Elena whispered, "It's my fault."

"Oh, Elena. . . . Ugh. _Of course_ it is."

"I didn't want Char to get hurt-"

"Then don't invite me in missions like these!" I snapped.

Damon raised an eyebrow at my irritability before glancing at Elena questioningly. "Do you have a death wish, hmm Elena?" We weren't sure if he was referring to the twenty-six vampires in the house or to me, but he didn't give her a chance to answer. "Let's go. Might as well make use of you."

My friend visibly gulped but put on a strong face. If I wasn't annoyed at her I would've admired her spirit - all this trouble for a guy. "Okay," she mouthed.

"Did they hear?" I questioned.

"If they did . . ." Damon didn't bother finishing that and left me to trail behind. We slipped into the house with Damon leading us to what appeared to be the stairs. Elena and I flinched when we heard voices near us, most of their words blocked out from the songs another iPod played. Who knew that would save the day? I wanted to tell Damon how stereotypical he was of Stefan's kidnappers as we inched nearer to the basement but that would alert the group above us and I kept my mouth shut.

Quietly, we entered what looked to be a low-ceiling cellar made of brick and gray stone. _"Ugh!"_ The revolting smell of mold wafted to my nose and I fought the urge to puke. To our horror, Stefan was tied against the wall by his raw wrists that were bleeding bright red liquid down to his elbows and to his shoulders. He had been tortured to the brink of death - or at least, death for an average human. His ghastly pale skin was filled with deep lacerations and his clothes and hair were soaked with water that smelled familiar to vervain, burning the flesh underneath.

Elena let out a cry that was instantly muffled when Damon covered her mouth with his hand. I made a face. Who knew what that touched? "Stefan," she whispered with real tears in her doe-like eyes. _"Oh, my God!"_

He weakly turned to the sound of her voice. "Elena? W-What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here or you'll die-"

"I'm here too, little brother," Damon quipped, causing me to smack his shoulder. At Stefan's feeble glare, he explained, "_They_ were supposed to stay in the car but they're as good as following directions as I am. So I can't really argue."

"Damn right you can't," I muttered before taking a knife from the nearby table and cutting the vervain soaked ropes in half.

I didn't want to know what they had done to Stefan with this, but was reluctant to leave it. I needed a weapon. Elena was there in a second to let him lean against her and the wall, ripping his shirt soaked with the purple herb to ease the pain he was presently feeling. Stefan was breathing heavily but he looked okay enough to walk out of here - very slowly, that was. I saw Damon steal a stake from the same table and walk towards someone I didn't even notice before, raising to stab him in the heart as he did with the vampire outside when Stefan suddenly stopped him.

"No! Not Harper," he gasped with a pained face. "H-He tried to help."

Damon was about to argue when I impatiently pushed him away, giving him the signal to hurry the hell up. Harper had chocolate colored skin, probably even darker than Bonnie's, with short hair and dark eyes that watched my movements as I freed him from his binds and pulled the broken pieces of wood out of his thighs. He let out a hiss but other than that, he stayed pretty much silent. We left him there before following the elder Salvatore brother out of the basement. By now, the music was fading into the silent background; the iPod had abandoned us.

Elena and I exchanged glances as if to ask, _where the hell is Alaric? _Meeting Damon's stare inquiringly, he reluctantly nodded. I could feel the couple's curious stares on my face beside me but ignored that and closed my eyes.

Gathering strength and courage, I concentrated on the blood that I could sense around the area and much to my panic, there was too many of them for me to look over, particularly when this was my first time trying such a dirty trick. Instead of feeling twenty-six, there were only twenty-three that we had to deal with. One by one, I _felt_ the pulsing of each body - of their blood and thudding of hearts - and it was difficult to force back the growing need to take on a bigger challenge, of possibly taking control of all of their bodies altogether. The temptation was there, persistently gnawing on my self-restraint.

_No. Remember Sheila's warning. _At the first sound of vampires gasping, I heard the air move around me. I felt someone squeeze my hand as encouragement which I could guess was Elena since there was no way Stefan's hands were that small, before I heard her and Stefan shuffle to the exit.

Hidden in the darkness, I was able to do what I was uniquely talented in while keeping a cover. All this focus in my mind, I was barely aware of what was happening near me. My heart stopped, already weak from the strain I was pushing myself against, when I heard a hiss too near for my comfort and my eyes snapped open. I saw a gray face and a wide open jaw with sharp fangs just inches from mine, but before I could do anything, the vampire was slammed back by another.

"Harper," I found myself whispering. He was still healing from his wounds as he struggled to pin the other down beneath him without the help of his legs, giving me a nod to continue whatever it was I was doing before.

"Alaric!" I heard Damon shout from upstairs. Forcing myself once again past the limit, I could sense Alaric's presence in the living room. There were three of them cornering him at the edge of the room, making him back up towards the door.

I was able to take two of them down, immobilizing them as four others around the house were, before Alaric staked them to their deaths with ease. Then something went wrong; the desire to use more power had snapped back to the the darkness of my subconsciousness - the monster inside retreating all of a sudden, and the vast fields of energy that were once open to me suddenly shut closed. The strain of such usage slammed against my skull like a horrible drill twisting into my brain, and I let out a startled cry.

Something trickled down my jaw and I reached up to my face, my eyes fluttering open when I noticed that it came from my nose and not an open wound. "Oh!"

The vampire underneath Harper went crazy at the smell of it, successfully shoving Harper down the stairs before swiping his nails mere centimeters from my skin. I jumped to my feet woozily, my hold on the six vampires loosening before they were free again. There was an angered yell that definitely belonged to Damon. _"Char!"_

My only response to that was to jam the knife into the vampire's collarbone, making him scream in pain. I shoved him down the stairs, hoping Harper had enough strength to bring him down there, and pulled myself up the stairs. The kitchen was a mess, the living room was in ruins, and almost every inch of the floor was either smeared with vervain-concentrated water or scarlet blood. A shriek left my lips when someone suddenly appeared behind me and pushed me into the living room, smacking my back shoulder blade at the sharp edge of the coffee table. I was thankful it wasn't my head when I heard the crisp _smacking_ sound it made.

Before he could take another step, a small wooden dart sunk deep into his heart and he died right in front of me instantly, his last breath leaving his mouth. It was the first time I had seen such a thing upclose and going _all the way_ compared to the short warnings I gave Damon earlier today. His skin turned papery gray, enlarged black veins rising against the paleness of his face and any exposed skin that I could see, as he dropped dead. He turned into a corpse over the course of several seconds.

I looked up to see Alaric with an enraged expression; I had a strong feeling he cared for me more than he was expected to - not romantically but more _parentally . . _. It was strange to say the least. "Hey, thanks."

"You alright?" He asked me with a gruff voice. He looked concerned at my nosebleed which I immediately wiped away with my sleeve.

"Ask me again when this is over," I replied wearily as I stood up to my feet, wincing when I heard a pop on my shoulder joint.

Damon abruptly stormed into the foyer. "Frederick's gone. Damn it!"

"Frederick?" I echoed dumbly.

"That man who tried to _kill me_!" He snarled. "How many of vervain darts do you have left?"

Alaric swiftly checked and let out an even worse curse, causing me to look at him in amusement. "Just one."

I saw Damon shake his head, letting a _string_ of his own personal swears much to Alaric's annoyance, before running into the woods with a livid expression. "That's not enough!" From what I could see inside, there were at least more than eight vampires running around outside in the freezing air.

"We're fine, thanks for asking," I muttered sarcastically before following my history teacher outside. "You guys did a number here."

He wordlessly tossed me a handcrafted gun that held wooden bullets than actual metal ones. It was light but was also bulky and awkward in my hands as well. Then again it was far better than the knife that was sheathed into that guy's chest. Once we stood in the middle of the front field, there were at least a handful of nimble shadows moving through the thickets. I was reluctant to end someone's life, vampire or human, but apparently I didn't have to at the sudden sounds of groans all around us. My accuracy sucked, having shot at least ten times and catching none. I was too exhausted to use my powers and kept up with the shooting, grateful that I didn't have another nosebleed when a headache kicked in.

Then there was just silence. Still cautious, I immediately inched nearer to Alaric who had taken a good shot to a vampire a few feet away and raised the anti-vampire gun with a steady grip. We both jumped when Damon appeared behind us with his speed, his face somewhat calmed. "That's the last of them, I think."

"You think," I repeated, upset. I had signed up for a rescue mission, not to be part of a blood bath. My stomach was already flipping with all the sight and scent of the spilt liquid, ready to release my lunch from earlier. "Did you kill him?"

"Frederick? Stefan beat me to it," Damon muttered a little bitterly.

Alaric shook his head at him but turned back to the house. Dead on my feet, I plopped back on a sofa that didn't have any spots of blood on it. Stefan was with Elena so I didn't have to worry about her for now, except for the long scolding I owed her for earlier. I closed my eyes for a moment and snapped them back open when I heard Alaric say to Damon, "It was a lie, wasn't it? I did this to learn more about my wife's disappearance and you used it against me."

When Damon shot him a smirk, he replied, "You were actually stupid enough to believe me."

I wasn't surprised that Alaric stepped forward and landed a good left hook on Damon's face. "Go to hell," he muttered, cradling his hand against his chest.

"You so deserved that," I pointed out from my seat. I didn't need his response to know that he thought so too.

We all turned to the door when it opened, revealing the second vampire I didn't like so much and her mother who I had yet to meet. She has sharp features with thin pink lips, almond-shaped dark eyes, and dark brown hair that was tied into a tight bun on top of her head. Her presence just screamed indimidation and authority, but at the bodies on the floor, it flickered to a tinge of dolefulness. She was wearing a fashionable suit, surprising me that she actually chose something chic to wear for a vampire who was separated from society a hundred and forty-five years.

Annabelle looked surprised to see me as the pair examined the bodies of their dead companions all around the property. "Char?"

"If you haven't noticed, it's been a long night and you aren't exactly one of my favorite people right now. Don't be offended if I snap at you once," I crossed my arms, "or twice."

Her lips twitched, threatening to smile, as her mother ignored our introductions. "What did you do here? This wasn't supposed to happen at all. Damon?"

"Hey, don't give me those judging little eyes. Jeez, I've been given _enough_ of those already." The blue-eyed vampire made a face. "And if you must know, I'm not at fault here, missy. Your flock of human-eating sheep and wannabe farmers spent half the day soaking my brother up in vervain."

"Those who had a part of this will be responsible," she told him with a frown.

"This deal of ours won't work if you can't lead them, Pearl," Damon warned, standing up and waking over to where Alaric and I watched. "So do your end of our little bargain and _control_ them."

Pearl frowned at the accusation in his voice. "I didn't plan this."

Damon sighed, "Of course you didn't, but this isn't the best way to tell me you're exactly friendly. In fact, this is telling me to do something about the rest of you and when I do, you won't really like how or when I'm going to get involved."

With a last glare, he grabbed hold of my arm and yanked me past the door with Alaric following close behind the two of us. I fell asleep during to the ride to the Salvatore Boarding House once we figured out that Stefan and Elena went back there. Alaric was still with us though and claimed a heavy need for a drink. Apparently there was an arsenal of liquor in Damon's part of his house. Waking up to Elena shaking me and to the sound of heavy rain, I shot her a tired glare. Hadn't they bothered me enough for today? Our history teacher looked to have left, the empty glasses beside the tall bottles of filled alcohol at the wooden counter was proof of that.

She ignored my grumpy expression and pulled me to my feet. "It's Matt and Caroline."

Immediately perking up at my second cousin's name, I asked, "What happened?"

During the ride to Matt's house, courtesy of Damon once again, they hurriedly explained about Vicki Donovan - how she wasn't missing but dead. She was only one of many Damon's mistakes. I was too tired to get angry at him for something I wasn't even here for, but I wanted to be there for my friends. _They're seriously going to be the death of me_, I repeated to myself solemnly before getting out of the sports car.

Damon stayed in his car, deep in thought with the events of today. With me leaning heavily on her side, Elena and I entered Matt's house through the pouring rain and wasted no time spotting Matt at the foot of the stairs. "Where's Caroline?" I glanced for her familiar shade of blond hair around the greeting hall but didn't see her anywhere.

Her boyfriend had dark red-rimmed eyes from crying which glanced at me before they settled on Elena. "You came."

"Of course," Elena whispered.

Drained and tired, I gave them space as she comforted her ex and shuffled past the foyer, into the living room; at least this one was clean. Tyler was sitting there on the sofa, his face buried in his arms on the sofa's arm. His shoulders were trembling slightly as he forced back the tears for his old girlfriend. I had heard from Jeremy that he had been toying with her for pleasure, but I also knew he was biased for his past feelings for her. Honestly, I didn't have any place to judge for what he had done before knowing me. Aside from being the tipsy jerk he was during the nineteen-fifties dance, he was a good friend - somewhat.

Silently, I took the seat beside Tyler and just stared at the side of his face that wasn't hidden, sinking into the plush of the cushions. I didn't say anything like last time when I went through the same thing with Bonnie, not really knowing _what_ to say and letting him cry it out the way he wanted to. It didn't take long for him to react to my presence and rested against my injured shoulder. He had pulled me into a shifted hug. Tyler needed a friend and I decided that for tonight, I'd be the human tissue that dried his tears. Fighting back a moan of pain, I slid my free hand over his head and through his dark hair, fighting back the clutches of sleep in vain.

"You're here."

I mumured, "Yeah. I am." It didn't take long for both of us to slip into deep slumber in each other's arms, allowing the state of unconsciousness to bring us into tomorrow without anymore hindrances. Tuesday alone was just too long a day.


	15. He Who Pursues Vengeance

_A lot of things were said in the last chapter. It's obvious what had happened between Heidi and Niklaus. __Anything at all that is confusing or didn't seem clear at all - please don't be shy to review! Critiques or comments are appreciated! Any Tyler fans? A few fluff here [to fulfill a friend's Tyler-fan-girlness] between Char and Tyler__.__ This whole chapter is literally about relationships so hopefully it's not boring without a lot of action. Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Fifteen**

**He Who Pursues Vengeance**

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2010

When I woke up, I felt smothered. My shoulder was warm by intense heat. Shifting around in my spot on the sofa, I saw the sunlight seeping past the drawn curtains of Matt's living room and directly to my back. No wonder I was so sweaty under my jacket. I moved to take it off when I realized that I was being held down by my waist. Something grumbled underneath me and I glanced down in surprise, noticing that I had slept using Tyler's chest as a pillow. His eyes were closed and his face peaceful from the agony last night. One glance at the clock told me we had missed homeroom through second period of school, but I wasn't alarmed. My attention immediately went to my clothes, taking in the specks of blood and dirt stains that no one had seen last night under their mournful atmosphere.

I desperately needed a shower but that meant waking Tyler up and I knew he needed all the rest he could get. Letting out a resigned sigh, I leaned back into his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. As much as I was uncomfortable with hugs, I was quite the cuddler and I needed someone to do that with for now - conscious or not. "Wake up," I sang out softly, nudging his side. He let out a groan but stayed asleep.

Giving up quickly, I lulled myself into my thoughts. With all this sadness at the discovery of Vicki's body, it reminded me of Sheila once again. She just wouldn't leave my head and the things she said brought more questions than answers. Who else knew what I was? Did other witches have the answers I wanted? Could I really be an incarnate form of nature? An unattractive snort escaped from me. Who knew I'd be _mother earth_ of all things? I couldn't deny my connection to nature though no matter how hard I tried to, especially after using too much of my powers last night. Each time I called on my affinities, it was like pulling myself closer to what I truly was.

_Then who am I a copy of? _A fresh batch of inquiries rose up. "Impossible," I muttered. Reincarnations were usually seen as a life form reborn throughout the decades. If I began life into this never-ending chain each time I died - if what Sheila believed was true, what had I been like in my past life? Why did this cycle start in the first place? What was my purpose? Were there others like me? Most importantly, was it smart for me to be involved around vampires, even after all the problems they caused?

The time was nearing when I couldn't get involved - to save a friend's life or the like - and then expect to be cut off from their associations to anything supernatural. I was either in or out, and I had no clue which side I wanted to be in. If I was finally in, I had to tell Winslow about this. There was no more doubt in my mind that he would need to know of the dangers because I knew _I_ would want to know if Winslow was placed in the same position as me. If I was out, I would be rejecting the side of me that would always be there no matter how hard I would force myself to be normal - to be _human_. I would never be able to separate myself from that and I wasn't completely certain if I wanted to leave that part of me behind. Now that it was free, I didn't want to return to the ignorant girl who freshly moved from New York. Maybe this was what Sheila was warning me about before she died. A sharp pang of despair shot in my heart.

_I really wish you're here, Sheila. You'd be able to tell me what to do - who to trust._ I missed her. I missed _Bonnie_.

"You two look cozy," a voice commented from behind me.

Startled, I glanced up to see Kelly standing at the doorway with a mug firmly in her hands. I doubted that was coffee but liquor. She had dark circles under her eyes, either from the waterfall she let out or from the lack of sleep. Kelly continued with a weary tone, "Caroline and Elena left last night. Elena said something about you needing your rest after yesterday - whatever that means."

I nodded. I had left my phone at home, completely forgetting to call Winslow but hopefully Caroline soothed his nerves if he was worried. "How are you holding up?"

"Crappy," was her reply before her eyes flooded with tears, "and we've got this Founder's Day event tonight. I don't even want to go."

"Then ditch."

She shook her head. I saw that she was dressed in wrinkled jeans and a slinky see-through top. "Can't refuse what's going to be given there - more alcohol." Kelly took one last tilting gulp to finish her cup before collecting her purse and walking to the door. Her heels clicked loudly against the wooden floors. She glanced back as she shut the door behind her. "I'm going to the Mystic Grill but don't worry about closing up. There's nothing to steal here anyway."

_Matt would beg to differ_, I thought before settling back into Tyler's arms. It didn't take long to drift into unconsciousness again. I snoozed for another hour or so until I felt Tyler shaking me awake. "What?" I grumbled into his shirt.

"I'm hungry," he answered tiredly, "and you stink."

I reached for the closest pillow and smacked him in the face with it before getting up with a yawn. Tyler let out a short laugh before walking to the kitchen, immediately searching through the fridge. "Are you allowed to do that?" I asked, stretching and taking a seat on the stool next to the marble counter. "This isn't your house."

"Matt's my friend. I've done this a hundred times," he replied simply.

Checking the time again, I guessed it was during our school's lunchtime. We heated up their leftover lasagna with the music blaring through the speakers and ate while we listened to Matt's top picks in his iPod. We couldn't help ourselves and critiqued on each song choice, whether country rock or embarrassingly teen pop. "Hey, want to kill time in my house?" Tyler asked while we cleaned up what we used. It would've been rude not to but I annoyingly ended up with the dishes while Tyler wiped the counter clean.

"What about your parents?" I dried my hands on the green towel hanging over the fridge before walking out of Matt's house and into Tyler's impressive car parked in the driveway. "Being the mayor's son and all, won't they care for appearances?"

Tyler pointed out as his car roared to life, "The Founder's Day event is today."

"Oh, yeah. Kelly told me earlier."

"I've got the house to myself. They'll be busy with preparations and won't be at home _all day_ if they could."

"Sounds kind of familiar," I muttered, thinking of my own parents before nodding. "I'll go, just stop by at my house. You don't mind if I use your shower?"

"No, go right ahead." Avoiding my punch to his shoulder while wearing a smirk, Tyler eyed my outfit curiously. "What did you do yesterday, Char? Hike through the forest?"

I scoffed. "You have no idea."

Elizabeth had given Winslow and I our own copy of the house key to enter as we pleased, particularly when she knew we wouldn't stick with Caroline for the whole time we would be staying here. Tyler waited in the living room while I packed up clothes and a hairbrush. There was a sleek backless dress lying at the foot of the bed with matching maroon heels on the floor. The choker Sheila had given me was on top of a thin note that had Caroline's neat and perky handwriting, saying, _Don't even think about skipping tonight. Wear the choker. See you there._ I was a bit reluctant but followed her words, slipping the necklace into a small cloth sack and putting it inside my bag. Before going back down, I brushed my teeth and washed the dirt off my face.

He raised an eyebrow. "That was quick."

"What? You expected me to take an hour?"

"One and a half actually," Tyler confessed. "My mother takes forever."

We exchanged grins as I closed the front door behind us. The trip to his house - more like mansion - was a short one even when it was at the other side of town. It was on the richer part of Mystic Falls with the rest of the six-bedrooms, jacuzzi-tub houses, the kind I was already used to seeing on top floor penthouses in New York City. This was only my second time being here and I could smell the strong scent of carnations and freesias from the foyer. Tyler had been right about having it empty. Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood were not around and it didn't look like they had been for a while. He led me to the familiar second floor where the guest bathroom was before he left for his own bedroom to change out of his old clothes. Making sure to lock the doors, I took my time showering off the grime off my skin and hair.

Much to my amusement, I ended up smelling a lot like him and his mother - crisp clean soap and coconut oil. Putting on loose black slacks and a large indigo t-shirt, I watched the steam drift through the cracks under the door before I headed to the living room downstairs. "Yo," I said with a small smile.

Tyler eyed my outfit and nodded in greeting. "Popcorn?"

"Totally." We settled on the couch, having two hours to kill before the event started. I had to remind myself that I was a member of the Founding Families and in Mystic Falls, they made a pretty big deal out of it. Our movie choice wasn't the best to pick out since the protagonist with long brown hair - just like Vicki's I was told - died at the end. He was silent throughout her death. Before we could reach the credits, Tyler suddenly flipped through channels with a troubled look was on his face. I sat down beside him, crossing my legs in front of me.

"You okay?"

"She's dead," he said aloud as if he was truly realizing the meaning of the words for the first time. "Vicki's dead, Char."

Remembering the shock I felt over Sheila's death that was barely half a week ago, I could only nod. "I'm sorry."

He didn't say anything and snaked his hand around my neck, crashing his lips on mine. It was a shock at first but even after everything I had said to keep our relationship strictly platonic, I found myself kissing him back with the same hunger. _We're friends but we're kissing._ What did that make us? Tyler pushed my back into the the sofa's arm, pressing against me as he let his other hand wrap around my waist. His mouth skillfully worked on top of mine, sucking on my bottom lip. Soft yet demanding, generous then greedy, he really knew how to work a kiss. I guess being Mystic Fall's all-around player had its advantages in the field we were experimenting in. My hands ran up his hard chest and past his neck, letting my nails lightly scrape against his exposed skin before running them through his dark hair. I felt very, very warm in our positions.

"Tyler-" I let gasp when his cold hand slipped to the small of my bare back under my shirt and that gave him the opportunity to plunge his tongue into my mouth. I shivered, feeling his muscle contract above me. He oddly tasted of Italian herbs and faint alcohol. Pulling back, I breathed, "Wait, Tyler-" My breathing hitched when he merely moved to my collarbone, his lips attacking my sensitive skin all the way to the crook of my neck. Tyler hit a soft spot and elicited a moan to escape from me. I could feel his smirk against my skin. Finally annoyed though a little reluctant, I managed to push him back to see his face, collecting my breath. _"Tyler!"_

A little frustrated, he inched closer. "What?"

"Did you even feel anything?" I questioned, pressing a palm on my heartbeat. It was pounding hard from all the excitement and passion of his kisses, but there was just no _spark_. Physically he would've been a great partner, but I wasn't looking for that, at least not now. I wanted my drinking buddy, not a horny football player. "We're friends, Tyler."

"So?"

I was flustered. "So, I don't want to ruin that for a make out session."

Tyler asked, "Doesn't it ever occur to you that I might actually like you?"

Shaking my head a little hesitantly, I frowned. As much as I wanted to do this - a lot, I had to admit - I didn't want to lose what we had. "You don't know what you're feeling. You're still in shock over Vicki's death." Before he could argue, I shot him a silencing glare. "And don't tell me otherwise. You _know_ you don't like me _that_ way and I won't be used."

He looked miffed at first like I was refusing him, but that wasn't what I was doing. Maybe if we were both tipsy with too much to drink, then I probably wouldn't have cared if this was a good thing or not, but that wasn't the case now. After a while, Tyler ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. Regret flashed his face when he looked at me. Tyler finally realized I was right and he was clearly beating himself up for it. "Damn it."

"You get it now?"

"Char, I'm sorry-"

"You should be," I muttered, giving him another push to get him off me completely.

He immediately backed off. "Char-"

I shook my head, letting a smile slip on my face teasingly and pushing back my frustration. "Relax, I guess I was kind of using you too. Besides, I'd be a horrible girlfriend." At his inquiring gaze, I explained further, "Someone that was important to me died a few weeks. I guess I haven't properly grieved yet."

Under the solemn silence, we both studied each other while we assessed our emotions. It was obvious as we drew closer to our conclusions that we had no romantic feelings for each other at all. Our past attractions for each other - the lust and the want - had suddenly disappeared now that we tested the waters of that area. I only saw him as my friend who was lost with what to do, and I wondered secretly if his ass would still look cute now that I figured out my platonic feelings for him. "So no?"

"The benefit thing between friends?" I clarified. "Though I wouldn't mind it, no. Not tonight."

"Someday?" He offered a little too hopefully.

I laughed, deciding to humor him. "Maybe."

With a thoughtful expression, Tyler suddenly walked out of the living room and came back minutes later with a two empty glasses and a bottle of liquor. "This is my dad's. Might as well grieve right now, hmm?"

It was his form of a peace offering. I took it as I mirrored his grin. "Just friends?"

"Just friends." Then he grinned. "For now."

"In your dreams," I snorted.

An hour of getting ready for an event we both didn't even want to attend while drinking a lot was rather hard. Tyler was complaining how stuffy the tie felt around his neck in front of his bedroom mirror. My problems about wearing the choker again was quickly forgotten and it rested against my throat, sending pleasant hums throughout my body. I was getting a bit too clumsy to walk in the heels Caroline told me to wear, but I didn't bring any other shoes as an alternate. I ended up stumbling down the stairs at least three times before reaching the front door to open it. Caroline wore a deep blue dress with her hair straightened out and her face held a disbelieving expression when she caught sight of Tyler and I.

"Are you guys drunk!?"

Tyler made a face. "Is it that obvious?"

I giggled when Caroline gaped. "Calm down, dear Coz. We're a little tipsy, that's all."

"I am not going to calm down!" She cried out, pulling on my wrist to the living room. "This is your most stupidest idea ever, Chardonnay Blackburn! You're going to be introduced to the rest of the Founding Families and you're drunk! What's everyone going to say about you if you make a fool out of yourself? What is _Winnie_ going to say?"

"Actually, he'll be surprised I kept up abstinence this long. My last drink was - what? - last September? I think it was during my seventeenth birthday."

"That's just sad," Tyler muttered before going upstairs to get his suit jacket.

Caroline's face turned to a faint pink color with all her disgruntlement boiling underneath. Needing to comfort her, I patted her cheek. "Chill, Care. Things are going to be fine. I know how this goes, really. There's been plenty of parties like these in New York."

My second cousin suddenly moved away from me. Anger crossed her angelic oval face. "No," she snapped. "I only wanted a fun day today - a distraction from everything with Kelly and Vicki! I arranged everything, Chardonnay, and even picked out your clothes to help you because I heard from Elena yesterday how exhausted you were with _everything_. But things aren't going to be fine! They aren't fine with me and Matt, they aren't fine with me and Elena, and they aren't fine with me and _you_."

"What are you going on about?"

"Where were you last night? Didn't you see?" Caroline put out, "I thought I was over Matt having been with Elena before. We had already talked about it. Yesterday when I tried comforting Matt about Vicki, he pushed me away. All of a sudden Elena comes along and he hugs her. Matt _hugged_ Elena when he didn't even want me near him."

That dampened the mood greatly. "Caroline-"

"I'm being petty aren't I? Vicki is dead and I'm worried about my relationship - how pathetic is that?" She whispered wearily, "It's just Kelly seems so set on telling Matt that I'm his rebound girl and when Elena came last night-"

I took one step forward and tripped, ridiculously hugging her chest to my face. "Don't doubt Matt's feelings for you. You may be the rebound girl to Kelly, but you're not to Matt. You make one hell of a girlfriend than I ever could. He really does care about you and if he didn't, he'd have me to answer to." I sighed before pulling back, somewhat sober again. "This week's been hard on me, Care. I suppose I don't have the best timing with all of this, being partially drunk and all, but I'll promise to behave."

Assured, Caroline nodded. "I didn't mean blowing up on you."

"I'm drunk, Care. I wouldn't have noticed much."

Before she could say anything after smacking me in the shoulder that I had bruised, Tyler walked to the front door. "Let's go girls."

Caroline glanced at me uncertainly before leading us to her car. She wasn't exactly friends with Tyler. "What are you doing here anyways?" She asked me quietly when she thought Tyler couldn't hear. I had texted her earlier when I slowly realized that Tyler and I couldn't drive drunk. I wasn't an idiot. "Are you guys . . . ?"

"No," I scrunched my face in disgust at the thought of it. "We just figured out that we're better platonic than romantic."

She made a face. "Friends with benefits?"

"Just friends," I repeated, feeling like I was overusing the words to its limit. Then I added hesitantly, "For now, at least."

"And how did you do_ that_?"

I rolled my eyes, not needing to answer when she already knew. The ride to the Founder's Hall was a little awkward with only me putting effort to fill the silence that lingered around Tyler and Caroline. Yep, they definitely weren't friends. The moment Caroline parked, Tyler stepped out onto the sidewalk. He nodded to me before going off to find his parents. To be honest, it was a bit weird to be friends with someone I made out with but it was working nonetheless. I really hoped he didn't put himself into crappy situations again. Caroline led me to the entrance, passing the crowds who wore their own unique apparels. The hall was decorated crisply with its own feel of sophistication and arrogance.

Caroline paused on her steps when we saw Kelly near the refreshments, but continued with her cool as she remembered my words. I meant to follow her when someone appeared at my side. "Stefan," I greeted a little too cheerily.

"Char," he grinned which was totally out of character for him. "You're drunk."

"Is it that noticeable?" I whined.

"I smell the alcohol - a lot of it," Stefan took my hand in his and pulled me to the dance floor. The upbeat music wafted down from the ceiling walls, the speakers attached to the concrete. Spinning me around in his arms, he said, "Come on. Dance with me for a while."

"What about Elena? Is she here?"

"Dancing with my brother," he answered. Stefan didn't look worried about that at all.

Not having any objections in my drunken state, we spent a couple of more songs twirling and moving through the different beats - from smooth to heartening. I was thankful for all the dance lessons and competitions I suffered through as a kid, no matter how nostalgic it made me feel, and I was able to match each of his steps with ease, impressing him to a degree. Amazingly enough, I was already building up a sweat when we pulled away to let me take a breather. Stefan didn't even look tired. "Was I too fast for you?" He teased, handing me a filled glass. I eyed the thick red liquid in his hands suspiciously before staring at him for a while.

Shaking my head, I took sips of my water. Stefan wouldn't risk drinking actual blood in front of a large crowd of humans. He was a bunny eater, not a human one. My usual sharp instincts that would argue with my thoughts didn't come as it always did. The alcohol must have taken its toll there. "Nothing I couldn't handle sober." Then I grinned. "You're acting different, Stefan."

"What ever do you mean?"

With a laugh, I shrugged. "You're more open. I like it."

"You're the only one who seems to," he pointed out.

We stayed at the sidelines, watching the entire hall with curious eyes. I saw Caroline and Matt together during a slow song - they must've made up, Tyler's parents were greeting the guests with fake smiles, and near the second refreshment table, Elena and Damon stood with Alaric - who surprisingly came even without having to be a Founding Family member. At least he didn't care for the rules. They were glancing at us with some sort of concern, but I didn't mention it to Stefan. I had a feeling that he already caught their stares. To my surprise, I found someone familiar in the crowd - someone that should be in New York and not here in Mystic Falls.

"Stefan," I felt his eyes on me questioningly. "Do you know him?"

He followed my gaze to the dirty blond-haired man with dark brown eyes. "John Gilbert? Why? Do _you_ know him?"

"Yeah," I murmured dejectedly once I noticed the ring on his forefinger. No wonder Alaric's ring looked so familiar. It was the same one that he wore on his left hand - the one that prevented its wearer to die. "I think he's my godfather."

* * *

-The New World-

1024

The blond girl stepped forward. "Do you not know Anika?"

I frowned at her. "You look to me as if I must know. Unless the girl you speak of is from the neighboring village, then I have no knowledge of her."

"Are you certain, Heidi?"

Confused as to why her voice held foreboding, I nodded nonetheless. There was a flood of emotions on her face but irritation and disbelief were much more pronounced than the rest. Rebekah grabbed my hand in an abrupt manner and pulled me alongside her as we rushed through the halls. I nearly tripped on the skirt of my dress at her hurried pace that was almost to fast for a human to match. "Wait, Rebekah!" I let out a cry as her grip tightened around my wrist to the point of bruising. What was forcing her to act in such a way?

She suddenly released her hold for we had reached the dining hall. Her gaze lowered to the red hand-shaped mark on my skin. "I apologize."

"It is alright," I murmured, hearing the guilt in her voice, "but what is the cause of your hurry?"

Rebekah didn't answer and barged in through the double doors with a slam. I jumped at the thunderous echo of the sound and quickly followed her inside, worrying about her unpredictable behavior when she was angered. No one could not stand against her temper. Her older brother sat next to the fireplace, drinking from a golden chalice. He didn't bother looking up but there was no mistaking the amusement on his face. For some reason, the horror I felt toward him ceased to exist. "What is the meaning of this, Nik?"

"Rebekah," I glanced to the source of the sound at the corner of the hall, meeting the unreadable stare of Elijah's. I felt my heart flutter seeing him again and smiled shyly at his direction. He too looked troubled but not from the same matters that agitated his sister, returning my smile uncertainly. When he caught sight of the choker, a frown slipped on his face. Had the two brothers been talking of something important before we interrupted them? Much to my puzzlement, Rebekah paid no attention to him.

"Hmm," Niklaus pretended to think as he drank his cup of blood, "to have slammed the doors as hard as you did, dear sister, does that mean something has upset you greatly?"

"It is not the time to jest," she snapped.

"Why have you come?"

Rebekah pulled me forward. "Tampering with one's memory, particularly hers-"

I jumped when Elijah suddenly stood between his younger siblings, a glare fixed downwards on Niklaus. He had moved with incredible speed once again and his soothing brown eyes turned dangerously dark. "Do not tell me you have done such a thing to Heidi."

_They are speaking of my wellbeing, but why? _I did not remember any danger, but I also did not remember my return to Lilly's house. Had something occurred then? What had Niklaus done to me that bothered them so? Watching them warily, I wanted to speak out but did not have the spirit too. The tension in the air was too thick to cut with mere questions of my alarm. The blond man smirked, saying, "There is no need for the threat in your voice, Elijah. I have done nothing with ill intentions but out of charity and brotherly love."

"What have you done?" Elijah growled, sending shivers down my spine.

Niklaus' blue eyes slid to me. _Blue eyes . . . _They were hauntingly familiar. "How do you feel, love?"

Bewildered, I still replied, "I am well."

"Do you fear me?"

"What odd questions to be asking me," I noted aloud, instinctively edging to the door. "Must I be wary?"

"Heidi, please," Rebekah said to me. She noticed my discomfort under the heavy stares of both of her brothers.

Clearing my throat, I shook my head. "You have not wronged me. Why must I fear you?"

A menacing low snarl escaped from Elijah's lips as his teeth sharpened. His skin slowly turned ashy gray with inky swirls of black covering over his tinged red eyes, giving him the look of a demon. Dark veins grew on his exposed skin roughly comparing to the sudden paleness of his face. My heart picked up at this sight. This was the first time I saw the demon within himself and I could not deny feeling a little frightened. From what I learned about Elijah from both Rebekah and Henrik, he rarely lost his composure and to change without the craving of blood, he must have been furious. I could only be thankful that his glare was not on me.

Elijah stepped forward. "Klaus-"

His younger brother disregarded him easily like he was not a threat, his patronizing gaze staying on me. "And what of my brother?"

I blushed, a bit offended at his incompetence. I noticed Elijah sparing a glance at my face questioningly, wanting to know the answer as well. How could Niklaus ask such a thing with the subject of our topic right beside him? Had I not been embarrassed enough? "T-Tis not a matter concerning you!"

"He is not mindful of his words. Forgive him." Rebekah shook her head at Niklaus' tactlessness. Then she took my hand in hers comfortingly. "What is it that you believe happened these past few days since your awakening?"

"I have not lost anything nor am I sick," I argued. At Rebekah's hesitancy, I pressed, "I am _fine _though I do not understand your reasons for worry."

"Humor us." I heard Elijah from afar.

Glancing at him with surprise at his cold tone, I answered rather meekly, "We have been studying, yes? You had taught me of your knowledge on distant lands such as the Roman Empire and the country known as Greece. I do not know an Anika, Elijah."

"It is only her memories of Anika that you have mercilessly erased, Nik." Rebekah glanced away from my searching gaze, murmuring, "So has her resolve, I fear."

"Remove it."

Niklaus grinned at his older brother. "Can you not do it yourself?"

"One cannot break another's compulsion." Elijah reminded him dryly, his hands clenched into tight fists. "Surely you knew of that before."

Rebekah stared at her brothers apprehensively and moved in front of me like a shield. "It is unfortunate, yes, but not worthy of any action Elijah. Heidi remains unharmed."

He suddenly stood in front of Elijah challengingly to see of his reaction, taunting, "You must be thanking me of my generosity as she had. Heidi is now yours for the taking, no?"

The next thing I knew, a loud slam echoed through the hall. Elijah had a smirking Niklaus by the throat, slightly barring his fangs. The chair had been pushed to the ground with the table was shoved aside to make way, a dent marking on the stone wall. A gasp escape my lips and I moved closer only to be held back by Rebekah. "Eli-" I glanced at her questioningly and she shook her head at me, a silent message to stay quiet.

Elijah mumbled, "To see your concern for the business that is mine alone, I admit it is rather strange. You do not care for our association and yet you meddle."

"Tis for the good of the family," Niklaus mocked. Then he said something else for his lips moved, but the words did not reach me.

Rebekah tensed, having heard and wearing an expectant expression of dread. _"Elijah!" _I had been the only one who jumped when Niklaus was forcibly thrown away by their oldest brother in fury. It was like watching broken scenes of their fight for my human eyes could not follow on their speeds. Rebekah gradually backed me nearer to the door as the dinning hall was ruined at each swift blow. Growls rumbled around the room, emanating from their chests when they faced each other.

"You are a fool," the blond sneered, "to not accept such a gift-"

"Hardly can I call this a gift," Elijah replied stonily. I flinched when he kept his emotionless mask as he meet my stare. Pitifully, I still believed Niklaus did nothing wrong and I knew he could see it in my expression for he shot his younger brother another glare. "Laelia is dead, Niklaus."

"As is Berenike."

The air in my lungs left sharply but I couldn't breathe. A horrible feeling settled in my stomach as a throbbing pain rushed into my heart. _This feels familiar_, I murmured to myself. _My heart hurts._

I recalled the times I had been told of my familiarities to those two girls. Was that what they saw in me - why both Niklaus and Elijah took notice of me as a servant? Was I the replacement to Berenike or to the girl named Laelia, their past loves? Had they even paid attention to me - to _Heidi_? What of Tatia? Niklaus had no right to toy with her emotions. _Despite his reassurances, Elijah likes me for the wrong reasons. _

Before any more words were said, the doors opened as Henrik entered. His eyes widened a bit at the sight before him, composing his surprise and amusement a few seconds too late. "I have news," he declared, taking the spot next to me. Once viewing it as a bother, now I welcomed his kind demeanor. He was somewhat more _human_ compared to his siblings and did not see me as the breathing figment of the past. "A feast is to be held tomorrow's evening."

Rebekah glanced at her brother, exasperated. "We need not attend another feast, Henrik."

"Tis not for us, sister," Henrik corrected patiently, "but for Mikael."

The three siblings froze at the name. _Mikael_, I echoed with distaste. _Why do I feel such dislike for a man I have yet to meet? _Elijah asked carefully, "What have you heard?"

"He arrives tomorrow," My heart sped when his brown eyes flickered to me, later drifting down to the choker with doubt. The rest followed. "And he has knowledge of Heidi, Tatia as well."

"Tatia?" I repeated. "What has she to do with this? Who is Mikael?"

Much to my impatience, no one had answered. I met Niklaus blue-eyed stare with newfound accusation but his response was a smirk once again. He faced his oldest brother who was deep at thought. "Blessed time is limited, Elijah. This is my gift to you." At the corner of my eye, I saw Henrik frown. I did not know what caused me to do such a thing when I reached out to pat his arm. Henrik turned to me curiously but understood. We were friends, and as his friend, this was my only comfort for him.

The girl next to me let out a sharp gasp, her skin turning pale in her anger. Henrik immediately pulled me away from Rebekah as she stormed to Niklaus, screeching, _"You had known!"_

"I had always known." Niklaus walked away to take back his chalice which was perched on top of the fireplace. He remained undisturbed with Rebekah's rage for he had been titled as the sole object of her agitation far too many times to count, growing immune to her bursts of indignation. "He is to kill us after all."

Elijah looked away from our direction and I did not realize he was watching Henrik and I with guarded eyes. "What are we to do, Klaus?"

"Attend, of course," Henrik put in, answering for his older brother. "The full moon is merely days away. If not face him now, when?"

Niklaus nodded, suddenly inches away from me with a intimidating grin. A soft draft of wind brushed through my face from the force of his speed. In my shock, I instantly grabbed Henrik's wrist to keep steady on my feet. "We need not worry about Mikael. Our cavalry shall arrive to offer assistance, and our dear Heidi will learn more of those she stays ignorant of. Is this not an interesting turn of events?" When no one replied as his siblings stared at him with mixed emotions of petulance and incredulity, he shrugged, raising his chalice as a toast before drinking it to its last drop. "May we ever not die twice."


	16. In The Wake Of Things

_The sweetness of number sixteen! Thank you for your review/s and for reading:) Does anyone have their guesses on what will happen with the 11th century characters - Heidi, Tatia, Uncle Johan, Aunt Sylvia, even Yvonne? **I may need to remind my dear readers that part of this story is tragedy for a reason - but that's all I'm going to be putting out there as a preview for her finale.** Does anyone have an idea what Niklaus said to Elijah to push him off edge on the past chapter? It has to do with the memory he compelled Heidi to forget...swollen lips, anyone?;) Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Sixteen**

**In The Wake Of Things**

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2010

I think my prayers from yesterday were answered when Bonnie barged into class a few minutes late, saying, "Sorry, Mr. Saltzman. I'm late."

All the heads in the classroom turned to the chocolate-skinned beauty with realizing expressions of surprise. It had been a weeks since anyone saw Bonnie and so much had happened since - supernatural or not. "Find your seat," Alaric dismissed with a smile. "So it looks like we have a full class today. Just in time, too."

At the corner of my eye, my friends were giving her scrutinizing stares before smiling at her return. "Hey," she mouthed to Caroline and I but completely avoided glancing at Elena or Stefan as she sat a few desks away from our group. Caroline didn't really notice a thing about the tension between her two closest friends and faced forward, partially listening to Alaric's speech about how ridiculous he found it to be to have the community leaders far more important than learning what our regular curriculum called for - World War Two.

Elena, on the other hand, frowned and turned to me questioningly. "Is Bonnie alright, Char?" She whispered under Alaric's voice, "She looks - I don't know - pissed or something."

I could only shrug, muttering back, "Don't ask me." To her discomfort, I was still a little sore about having Elena not listen to me during that rescue of ours. I had to remember that she was alive and well; we all were.

I had warned her though - for future circumstances and she promised to listen. Hopefully there wasn't anything to worry about in the months ahead, but I had a feeling we weren't going to be so lucky. The last time I had talked to Bonnie was days ago after our rescue attempt, but before the Founder's Day gala. I was as confounded to see her here as Elena was, but there was something different about Bonnie. From the apathy in her aura, I could tell that she wasn't over Sheila's death - not even medially. I was far from okay with the missing presence of her grandmother, but at least I was _trying_ to get through my grief. Bonnie appeared to be keeping it in.

After I had seen my godfather in the party yesterday, I watched as Damon followed John into a private room with a troubled yet mischievous look on his face and returned ten minutes later alone with an aura of satisfaction. I was hyped up with anxiousness with Alaric's obvious worry and had unconsciously gripped Stefan's arm a little tighter. It was when John spoke in front of the podium when I had seen the black-haired vampire's shocked face, his blue eyes glaring accusations at the blond. Damon had done something to John and I still had to ask what the hell it was that got Damon so astonished. My instincts screamed that it probably had something to do with the similar ring on John's finger.

When the bell rang, Bonnie shot out of her seat and rushed out of the classroom with Elena hot on her heels. I glanced at Stefan who shot me a small, taunting smile before he walked out as well. He was acting a little loose for once and I wasn't sure if there was something more to it. New clothes and perfect gelled hair? The Salvatore brothers and Elena were keeping things from me and it bothered me. _In or out?_ I really didn't know yet.

"Not yet," I muttered under my breath.

Caroline waited for me as always but more impatiently than usual. She grabbed my hand and yanked me to where they headed off. "C'mon! Didn't you see earlier? Bonnie's back!"

"Didn't you guys talk on the phone?"

She didn't look deterred by my weary tone and asked curiously, "Don't _you_ want to talk to her?"

"Yes, but they look like they need time to catch up." I pulled back a bit to slow her down, nodding my head down the hall. Elena seemed to be pleading with her but Bonnie looked resolute. When Bonnie and I spoke through the phone, she didn't tell me she had a problem against Elena.

Ignoring my actions, my second cousin lunged herself forward and wrapped her arms around our missed friend. "Bonnie! I can't believe you're back! I'm so happy!"

Bonnie hugged her back. "It's nice to be back."

"Chardonnay and I really missed you even when you called," Caroline grinned. "How are you?"

"Fine," she answered softly. "I needed a new place to think, you know?"

I avoided glancing at Elena - I could only imagine her hurt expression - as it was my turn to hug her, maybe a pat on the back instead. This wasn't one of my hugging moods. "You just need to keep your head busy, Bonnie. It kind of helps, I guess."

"I can give you work," Caroline beamed. "I want your help with the Founder's Court. I need to find a perfect dress for it."

Bonnie rose an eyebrow. "Wouldn't Char be perfect for that job?"

"She refused!"

I made a face. "There's no way in hell am I getting into the whole Miss Mystic Falls pageant."

"Why not?" Caroline whined, "It's so unfair! Help me, Chardonnay, please!"

"I would help you with anything, Care." I sighed at the honesty of my words, disregarding Bonnie's curious stare. How did I get this tied down to these people and _not _mind it at all? Spending years of taking care of only Winslow and myself with a bit of help from a handful of people, it was strange to consider the wellbeing of several others especially a witch, three humans, and possibly two vampires. My past self would be very disappointed with me. "But not with this."

Elena put in, reminding the three of us that she was still there, "The Founder's Court? Did I miss something today?"

Caroline began slowly, incredulous at the mere thought of _anyone_ forgetting such important news, "The Founder's Court, Elena. Does Miss Mystic Falls ring any bells? It was announced this morning and we're both in it. The practice is in the gym and the pageant is later, remember?"

"Oh, crap," she breathed, running a slender hand through her hair. "I totally forgot about that."

"So you're gonna drop out?"

Bonnie and I quirked eyebrows at the hopefulness in her voice. Oblivious, Elena answered much to Caroline's disappointment, "No, I can't."

"Why not? If you don't want to go," Caroline pressed, "then don't."

"Care," I warned lightly.

"Her mom's the one who wanted her to join the pageant in the first place," Bonnie told her.

A flash of guilt crossed her face and she nodded a little nervously. "Well, er, let the best girl win then."

Elena nodded and turned to me inquiringly before sparing Bonnie a glance. "Let's, um, go to class." I knew she couldn't blame me for not telling her about Bonnie's phone calls, but I also knew that she was a little rueful about Bonnie's behavior. The rest of the school day came to pass without anymore troubles except for the choosing of seats.

I was friends with Elena as much as I was with Bonnie, but they made it hard to sit in the middle when they sat so far apart from each other. Caroline made it much easier for me though. While she sat with one girl, I sat with the other. It became our silent technique to switch their companies after each class we had with them. With the thick tension between the two friends, the beginning of lunch was heavy with silence. Caroline, Matt, and surprisingly Stefan managed to bring them into the conversations once in a while as lunchtime progressed. Strangely enough, Stefan suddenly stalked out of the cafeteria, claiming to have forgotten a book in the backseat of his car.

Frowning, I offered to follow him despite his refusals for help. I ignored the questioning looks that were shot in my way and walked outside under the warmth of the sun. "What happened?" I asked bluntly after making our way past the empty parking lot. His mood swings were too similar to a girl going through her week of the month and since he was a vampire, I was getting bothered about it.

Stefan shook his head, popping up the trunk and bringing out a blood bag of human plasma. His car had been upgraded to a sleek black sports car - the type I would see in a big city, not a small town. "A snack, that's all."

I couldn't help myself and remarked, "Nice car."

"It's nothing. Just wanted a change, that's all."

Crossing my arms, I made no move to stop him as he tore the plastic apart with his pointed teeth and drank it without spilling a drop on his shirt. I forced back the shiver when growing black veins appeared on his face at the smell of his addiction. _This is Stefan, not a monster. _"Heh. I thought you were a bunny eater."

"I'm learning control," was his strained reply. Stefan tossed the empty packet aside before getting another one.

"It looks like it's controlling you instead," I observed quietly.

"Did Damon put you up with this?" Stefan sneered, "I don't need a babysitter."

"I don't even know what _this_ is, Stefan."

He suddenly let out a low growl, his demonic eyes flashing to mine. "Char, this isn't your business."

I rolled my eyes, leaning against the door of his car. "Look, I don't know what's going on with you but if you think you can handle human blood then fine. Who am I to tell you otherwise? I'm not a vampire and I sure as hell won't be in the future."

"You sure about that?"

Frowning at his mocking tone, I told him honestly, "As long as anyone doesn't get hurt - possibly mutilated at the back alley if you catch my drift, then go right ahead. I don't mind it much and I actually like this new Stefan if you're curious."

"I wasn't," he retorted, his teeth stained red.

"The old one was kind of boring," I continued before walking away. I heard him shut the trunk behind me. Before I could take three steps, Stefan was suddenly in front of me. I was uncomfortable with the close proximity, literally smelling the metallic scent of the blood from his breath. My eyes narrowed at him suspiciously. "What are you doing?"

Stefan smirked. "Want to offer a vein?"

I thought he was serious for a moment until an amused snicker left his bloodied lips. My face must have been quite a sight for him to break his composure. "That wasn't funny!" I cried out, annoyed that I was almost fooled. Stefan wouldn't joke like that and his newfound boldness was a little overwhelming. Had all this confidence come from a plastic bag full of human blood? Was it his new diet?

"Yes it was."

"I was starting to think you weren't joking . . ."

"Maybe I wasn't," he laughed over his shoulder when he heard my heart skip. "Don't worry. Besides, I already had my share."

Disturbed, I followed Stefan back to the cafeteria. "You okay?" Elena inquired, concerned.

"Fine," I answered in a clipped tone. The school day ended with me having to walk home alone. Winslow had gotten a ride from Nicole and Penley Jacob once again and I sadly had too much pride to accept Penley's offer for a ride. Nicole had been grinning at my slight sulk in the side view mirror as they drove away.

I was able to talk to Penley for a few times hours before, pointedly ignoring the stares that were glanced in our direction. Apparently they didn't understand why Caroline's second cousin was talking to someone like Penley Jacob Armstrong. I realized that he was viewed as somewhat of a nerd with his handful of friends, lanky frame, and geeky thick-framed glasses. He was cute though and could've been better looking if he paid better attention to what he wore, combed his untamed hair, and lost the glasses. He was only a guy that didn't have the confidence to stand up for himself, which was pretty pathetic when compared to his headstrong sister. Nicole was part of the cheerleading squad with Caroline as well as having her part in the art and yearbook clubs.

My feet started to ache and I wasn't even halfway there - more like one-fifth. Matt had work in the Mystic Grill so I couldn't ask him as his girlfriend's second cousin to give me a ride home, Caroline and Bonnie were heading to the Founder's Hall as were Elena and Stefan later for the pageant, and I was pissed off at Tyler. He and his supposed best friend had a fight after John's speech, each having the anger to draw blood and even hitting Kelly by accident. The bruises on their faces and their red knuckles that I saw today were proof of what had happened. I was miffed that he was caught making out with her right after I had hoped he would stay out of trouble. Just because he couldn't keep his hands to himself, Kelly had been kicked out of the house and left without saying goodbye.

I wasn't jealous about what they did, but a little grossed out that I had kissed the same boy Matt's mom kissed even if I got to Tyler first. _I sound so petty about this_, I remarked silently, wincing at my throbbing feet. A car's horn abruptly honked behind me. I whirled around, not sure how to feel about seeing a smirking Damon on the road.

"Hey, sweetie," he greeted with mock cheerfulness through his car window. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Not long enough," I replied hesitantly. After everything that had happened with Stefan's rescue and Bonnie's return, I didn't know if I was supposed to be angry or relieved to talk to him. I was slowly forgiving Elena and the Salvatore brothers for something that wasn't in their control. I had accepted that already, but noticing Bonnie's bitterness for Sheila's death all over again, I was stuck between two sides once more. "What are you doing here anyways? Do you normally torment girls walking home after school every Thursday?"

"Hmm, usually on the Friday afternoons are when I get the hot ones,"

I nodded understandingly with sarcasm. "Hmm, well, you're not getting that lucky today Damon."

"It's Thursday," he pointed out as if that made any sense. He leaned over the other side and unlocked the passenger door. "I'll give you a ride. Hop in." When I didn't move, he added impatiently, "I have to talk to you anyways. Now get in."

With a huff, I walked around the back of the car. I didn't trust him _that_ much to pass the front. Who knew if he'd run me over or not? "So what is it?" I asked as I slid in the leather seat beside his, shutting the car door afterwards.

"Do you know what I had to do all day?"

"Should I?" I eyed him carefully as he drove through the streets.

"I had to spend time with John Gilbert of all people. I don't know why I didn't run away earlier."

_My godfather?_ Ignoring what he last said, I asked, "John Gilbert? Is he related to Elena?"

"Didn't you know? He's her uncle," Damon answered with a sarcastic smile, "and he's a member of the Town Council."

My eyes widened on their own accord and I immediately faced forward, trying to keep my cool. I knew of his last name, but I was just hoping there were a lot of Gilberts around America. What did that make Elena? My god-niece? Was there even such a thing? _So many coincidences . . ._

Hearing that he was part of the Town Council, it didn't surprise me for some reason. I knew he had to be involved with the supernatural once I caught sight of his ring. From the brief playtimes I spent with him in New York as a child, I had quickly picked up on his reserved personality. Most of what he said had hidden second meanings and I literally hated that as a growing kid. There had been a knowing glint in John's eyes whenever he stared at me, almost mockingly telling me in a silent way that he knew something I didn't. I had honestly found it creepy years before but looking back in a new light, I realized that my godfather could've had an idea of what I was.

"Yeah, I think I saw him yesterday," I grumbled, remembering the last time John had visited Winslow and I. It had been a lot of years since then but I still wanted to learn why one random day, he just stopped coming. John might have been patronizing and a bit intimidating, but he was the one who looked after us - especially our mother when Father was held up at work. Agitated, I reminded myself that he was one of those people who left Winslow and I, and there was no way I was forgiving him that easily despite our past relationships.

"Don't worry about Elena," he misunderstood the pique on my face. "She hates him more than I do."

"Exaggerating much?" That didn't exactly make me feel better but nodded anyways, I didn't want them to know of my relation yet - or never if that was possible. I knew Stefan would not spill of my relation to John. He was too much of a gentleman to do that without telling me first. Unfortunately this was Mystic Falls and any secret made here was always discovered one way or another, no matter how much time passed. The Salvatore brothers were walking examples of that. "Why did you hang out with him then?"

"Liz told me about a bunch of blood bags being stolen and Johnny boy wanted to investigate. They think there are more vampires in town."

I let out a tired sigh, clearly exasperated. "Are there?"

"Guess." He smirked when he saw my impatient expression. "Why are you in a hurry? You wanna go mother nature on them?"

Smacking him in the shoulder lightly, I crossed my arms over my chest with a pout. We were only a few turns away from my house - my safe refuge from another tiring day. _Not fast enough if you ask me. _"Do you think it's the vampires from the tomb again?"

"You're so cold," Damon scoffed. "Nah, we dealt with them. Some left already."

"Then who?"

A nasty grin grew on his face. "I said guess, sweetie. That's how the games go. If you get it right, you win a prize-"

"It's not you, is it?" I interrupted, edging to the car door.

"Of course not. I'm not obvious, but you're getting hotter."

To him, this was another thing to make fun of. When would he ever get serious? _Never_, I mumbled to myself. I pondered over what his words meant and a slow feeling of dread filled my stomach. It explained his mood swings, the way he seemed so confident all the time, and his extreme makeover with his appearance and car. It also made it clear as to why he was suddenly aggressive, even defensive at any saying concerning about blood. "Stefan," I uttered out.

Damon grinned teasingly. "Want your prize now?"

"Thanks for the ride." I said to him tightly as I ignored what he said before trying to get out of the car. My temper was shorter than usual today and so was my energy. I felt like going to sleep before dinner came. He abruptly locked the doors with one button in the driver's seat and I frowned, just wanting to go to my room to take a much needed nap before the pageant. "Hey, what's the deal Damon?"

"If you're not taking the prize, then I will," he put out with a tone of arrogance. "Why aren't you helping out in the pageant?"

Shooting the blue-eyed vampire a glare, I replied cautiously, "How is that any of your business? Besides, is there a rule that says I have to?"

"Elena called me. She said you needed a ride," he confessed, disregarding my words. "Now why aren't you there with barbie doll? You're from New York."

"Like that has to do with anything," I leaned back into the seat, knowing we were going to be here for a while.

"Aren't girls always, I don't know, hyper about that stuff?" Damon shrugged. I didn't get why he was so insistent on knowing. It wasn't even that all interesting. "Either I learn it from you, Char, or I'll finally get introduced to your younger brother-"

"Leave Winslow alone," I snapped.

"Then fill my curiosity. If you know me that well-"

"I don't want to know you _at all_."

"Too bad."

With another angry huff, I answered, "It makes me think of my mom. When she was in high school, well, she was hands-down Miss Mystic Falls." When Damon was silent for a moment too long, I turned to him to order him to unlock the doors when the look on his face made me stop. Damon actually looked thoughtful and surprisingly quiet. It didn't take long for him to notice my unease and he finally did what I wanted him to do. I jumped out of his sports car, wondering if that was some kind of trick.

He looked up, returning from his daze with another grin. The whole thing was very puzzling. "If you don't hear anything from me, it was John's doing. You'll miss me, won't you?"

"You'll just have to be missing for a while for me to know the answer to that first. Maybe several years will suffice."

"Ah, I'm getting a little concerned at the hopefulness in your voice."

Staring at him, I became concerned. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Watch out, okay? See you later." Damon then drove away, pleased with himself for some reason.

_Weird._

I went inside quickly and immediately went to my room, dropping my stuff on the floor. Elizabeth was always at the police station so the house was completely empty and bare of company. It hadn't taken long for me to understand what Caroline meant weeks before. Elizabeth _was_ a workaholic, but thankfully not as severe as my father. She worked to bring food for the family, electricity to the house, and to protect the town she was born and raised in; she loved Mystic Falls obviously. Father did it for all the bad reasons that I couldn't even bear to think about - his need for solitude and to be away from his family, especially the children that needed him . . . a heartless ass, if I may be so blunt.

Pushing back the negative thoughts that threatened to spill into my head again, I slipped into the bathroom to wash my face. It was after I changed into much more comfortable clothes that my phone rang with a text message. It was from Bonnie: **I need 2 talk 2 u during the pageant. It's important.**

Replying back with a simple _OK_, I went to my bed and snuggled into the thick warm covers. It wasn't long for sleep to take over.

* * *

-The New World-

1024

"But you must come!" Rebekah cried out in surprise before Henrik and I exchanged uneasy glances at the table. We gathered in the study, away from the mess.

The dinning hall had been dealt with overnight with new carved furniture to replace those that were broken by Elijah and Niklaus. It looked the identical as it was before - as if the fight had never happened. To my disappointment, the damage it caused between the two brothers was too great to repair. It had created an unfathomable scar on their relationship and I was not the only one to notice. Henrik and Rebekah steadily grew worried at their unsightly behavior.

The glances they once spared each other out of acknowledgment, became slight glares of chagrin or one of frosty indifference. They would not be willing participate in polite discourse - their words were harsh and full of ill intentions - and the air alone turned frigid when they both entered joined rooms. This had occurred throughout the morning and the upcoming afternoon. Even in my confusion, I had the slightest feeling that somehow I was partially at fault . . .

"I do not think that is wise," Henrik advised. He was ignored by his older sister and his lips twitched downward.

"I must not," I murmured in agreement. If Henrik seemed opposed to the thought of appearing tonight, then I would not argue against his better judgement. "I had not attended the past feasts before and I shall not now."

My beautiful companion shook her head. "Do not care for their thoughts, Heidi. I had guessed you to be above their lies."

"My presence is not welcomed, Rebekah. It does not matter that their words do not have meaning. I do not wish to cause any disruptions tonight for it is to be joyful." I argued faintly, glancing down at my clasped hands. The mere idea of a feast was foreign to me, but I could not deny the temptation it brought to attend. I had yet to make an appearance as a free lady in the village, but I felt unready for such show and glamour. The attention alone I imagined to receive - I was not prepared to face that.

"Your title as servant does not stand as it once did anymore." She reassured, "You have nothing to fear."

"Who is Mikael?" I demanded softly, knowing of their reaction before the cursed words escaped my lips. The siblings seemed to have frozen for a slight second, their eyes widening at the feared name. They had yet to explain who he was to them and I grew tired of waiting. "Please answer me for I do not want to-"

Henrik shook his head. "Has Klaus' words influenced your resolve to keep away from our world?"

"I never meant to give that intention," I pointed out, calling on my courage to continue. "I am very much interested to learn what it is I do not know but my questions remain unanswered. Is this man something to fear?"

The younger siblings shared a meaningful stare until the blond beauty broke their connection brashly. Henrik did not expect her to do such a thing and looked rather disheartened that she did not support him. "Very much so," Rebekah answered, disregarding Henrik's sudden glare of warning. "I am prepared to make a deal with you, Heidi. For your attendance tonight, I shall give you the answers you so clearly desire but be warned that I will not be able to tell you most things that are not mine to say."

"Rebekah-"

"If you are not pleased with my decision, leave Henrik." She growled, her blue eyes flashing dangerously dark, "I refuse to repeat our brothers' mistakes. I will not hide what she has the right to know out of fear nor will I force her the knowledge she has not anticipated herself to hear."

Henrik let out a sigh. "Has the possibility of Mikael's appearance slipped your mind, dear sister? She is safer to remain in the house where he cannot enter."

"No," Rebekah disagreed easily. "She is safest by our side. As we have friends of special talents, so does he. Mikael will not be merciful to waste such an oppertunity to strike her down."

"Bekah is right," a voice called from the doorway, interjecting through their heated conversation. We turned to see Niklaus standing behind us, his blue eyes studying our guarded expressions with some sort of fiendish amusement. "If the rumor of his arrival is anything but a lie, we are not naïve to think he will come alone. Alone, Heidi will be in danger." Their sister shot him a worthy glare to match the vindictive side of her personality while Henrik offered him a courteous nod. "I suppose I owe you awaited apologies for my appalling conduct from last night."

"Will your pride allow for such a thing?" She asked with a faint sneer.

To my astonishment, he smiled at her audacity. I would have imagined that his response would not be as lighthearted as the one he was giving to her now. "If you are upset with what I had done, then I apologize for that as well."

"Tis not to me you should ask forgiveness from," she muttered, glancing at me apologetically but saying nothing else. Rebekah straightened in her spot, keeping her aura of prestige in tact as he neared. We both knew it was not proper for a girl to hold a grudge for so long, but putting light to the fact she was not an ordinary girl, Rebekah was the exception to this rule. Niklaus followed her eyes to me, obviously enjoying my confusion. He found all of this rather entertaining.

Henrik stood up from his seat, displeased. "If you are to follow this path, do not be mistaken for my support for I will not stay."

I glanced at him gingerly. "Has my curiosity offended you?"

He hesitated but shook his head again. "It would be unfair to judge your actions in that way. It is human of you to want to know the things of the unknown and for that, I cannot blame you. I can only hope, as your friend, that you are ready for the things you wanted to hear."

"Oh."

Henrik suddenly caressed my cheek tenderly with the edge of his palm, my skin heating at his touch. Elijah would not be happy to see such a sight and I felt unworthy of their attention once again. I had refused one and unwittingly attracted another. With Rebekah's assistance earlier this morning, I was not as blind as I was before to not notice the signs of affection, but I did not know what to say. Henrik was aware of my feelings for his brother and yet he still acted on his impulses. What woman was I to be after this? I did not want to be the cause of their broken bonds of brotherhood.

"Henrik," Rebekah warned before I could.

"I do not want to cause worry and for that I shall leave now. Till tonight, Heidi." Pointedly disregarding the raised eyebrows of his siblings, he left in a blink of an eye.

"Love," Niklaus slid into his chair, grinning at Rebekah's irked expression. "Is this yet to be interesting enough?"

My mouth hung open slightly. "What do you mean?"

He opened his mouth to speak but his sister intervened smoothly, "Onto business, Nik."

A mischievous expression settled to his face. "Very well." His blue eyes flickered to me with a condescending tilt of his head. "Mikael is our father."

I stared at the siblings in shock, forgetting the issue with Henrik almost immediately. "H-He is your father?" I echoed, attempting to grasp that into its naked truth. "B-But you claimed of his wish to kill you - all of you."

Rebekah cleared her throat delicately. A look of determination crossed her face as she explained further, "Heidi, it is not out of all of us that he wishes to kill but only one. Those who stand in his way as Elijah, Henrik, and I have - he has marked us for death."

_Only one_, I repeated in my head and turned to Niklaus. "It is you that he wants then."

"Yes but I must admit, I am amazed at the question to who it were in your perspective. Had it not been obvious at all?"

Their own father wanted their existences to cease. Painstakingly so, I had grown attached to their complicated family, even at my own confusion as to where I stood with them. I was not their family but merely a friend who they cared for - but why? Picturing them dead, to never have their heart beat once more brought me so much sadness than I would care to admit. I would miss Henrik and Rebekah's company, my handful of companions. _And Elijah_, my conscience whispered. _I would miss them._ I stared at the blond warily. _Would I miss Niklaus?_

Choosing my words carefully, I replied shyly, "I cannot lie that I do not find you somewhat terrifying, but no one deserves such a fate. I cannot comprehend why Mikael would want to do such a thing to his own blood."

"I am but his wife's bastard child," he retorted, his attention sliding away to the window at his thoughts. "Our mother engaged in an affair."

"Was she not happy?" I found myself recklessly asking, my heart pounding against my chest.

Niklaus surprised me by answering, "Twas a difficult time."

"And there are more of you?"

"Their names are Finn and Kol." Her older brother and I watched her blue eyes glaze with nostalgic gloom. Her body may have sat on the same table as we did, but she was somewhere else - a place I could not follow her to. "They had done what was wise for their benefits alone and fled together at our beginning millennia ago. Kol had returned once."

"A long time ago," Niklaus pressed with a frown.

"Our loyalties to our brother are our acts of betrayal to what is right in Mikael's eyes - to what is natural of this world for as you have seen, we are immortal." Rebekah added fastidiously, returning from her depressed state at the sight of her brother's stern glare, "We cheat nature as our existence continues and he will not forgive us. He shall hunt us for more than a thousand years of our deception until we are dead in his arms."

I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. "And how is he to kill you? You are unable to die."

"He as well," she reminded me gently. "Mikael has found ways for such demise. We do not doubt that for we would be fools to."

"I-" _A father killing his own children to destroy the evidence of his wife's past affair. _Under my awe and horror of what I had learned of their family - of the father they once loved, I was despondent for them as well. It was the only thing I understood for now. With a slow nod, I knew I did not want to learn any more. "I am sorry."

"It is not your fault," Rebekah scolded, shooting Niklaus a glare when he scoffed. "It was before your time."

"But I cannot picture my own father holding such intentions towards me," I told her, scowling at the abhorrence of it.

"What of your father?"

"It is not an interesting story," I glanced away, recalling the melancholy of each past memory. Pitifully, I did not remember their faces for it had been too long. "It was the plague. My father passed along with my mother and I was merely a child back then. Twas my aunt and uncle who had taken prudent care for me at my growth."

"For that, I too am sorry as well."

A timid smile appeared on my lips. "There is no need, Rebekah. I did not know him nor my mother and it would not do me any good to remember the past."

My heart skipped a beat when I noticed Niklaus' eyes on me. The intensity of his stare was hauntingly familiar to Elijah's though the orbs of oak brown were now sparkling blue. He was looking at me strangely - almost longingly but his question struck my stomach much to its discomfort. "You are not Laelia, then."

To the best of my ability, I met his gaze evenly. The words escaped my lips at the sight of Rebekah's worried glance; she too looked cautious of his inquiry. "I had never claimed to be her. I am Heidi; I am not your Laelia." An emotion similar to that of wistfulness passed his face and he was suddenly gone, the air drifting around me from his incredible speed. This began to remind me of the night of our introductions. His claims of his beloved Laelia were not fables but the truth, but why had he seen her in me? As he recently acknowledged, I was not her. "Will he-"

"Nik shall be fine. He's being dramatic," she interrupted, standing up from her seat and appearing right beside me in a quick burst of movement. Taking my head, Rebekah pulled me up and led me out of the dinning hall. "There is nothing to fear for tonight. I will make the villagers regret to think of such things."

"Do not act impulsively for my sake," I warned her desperately. "I do not want blood on either of our hands."

A chuckle left her pink lips. "Oh, what violent thoughts Heidi. Despite my favor of the idea, that was not the meaning of my words at all." She gestured to my plain dress then tugged on a strand of blond hair. It felt odd to wear the luxury that they offered to give me and I rarely wore fine clothing throughout the days to Rebekah's disapproval. "You shall be a beauty above all. I will make sure of it, that I promise."

Blushing at her directness, I was about to reply when we caught sight of her oldest brother coming from the opposite end of the hall. He had a book in his hand as before with his expression somewhat cloudy and troubled. We had yet to speak of yesterday for he seemed to be avoiding me. I had thought I was being a bit nonsensical until breakfast arrived. Elijah infuriatingly did not spare me any sign of recognition at all, acting on a fable like I was a ghost of some kind. He kept to himself, awfully silent and refined.

Rebekah caught my tension and held my hand reassuringly before calling out, "Warm afternoons to you, my brother."

Elijah nodded at her direction, completely ignoring me latched on her side before continuing his way. His clean musky scent faintly washed over me, filling my lungs with his addictive smell. _Is he angry at me? _I tightened my hold on Rebekah's arm, my throat becoming dry at the realization of our circumstance. He was shunning away from me as the people of my village did. Elijah had been one of those people I did not believe to do such a thing to me. _But why?_ the question floated in my head again. _Why ignore me?_

I had no answer.

Rebekah did not say a thing. She did not want to embarrass me further with Elijah's listening ear so near and asked innocently, "May we?"

Blinking back tears, I murmured rather dejectedly, "Of course."

The corners of her lips curled up. "I had promised you charm, Heidi, and I keep to my promises." With that, she led me to her room as a devious plan grew in her mind.


	17. Thin Links In Between

_A few readers [like ChelseaBaby91 and ILoveYou1978 for example] review or PM that they really like the 1024 plotline and Heidi's point of view - probably because Chardonnay's just going through the stuff you guys already read a million times before and has yet to reach the good parts of the series. Anyways, I would like to thank you for your opinions and for reading it this far! Thank you, thank you, thaaank yooou! It still means a lot guys after days of trying to put Heidi's learning and timid character plus her story together. You'll find out a few things about Heidi [of one which I should thank you glowgreen4me for the thumbs up earlier;) - my buddy] and I hope you find this chapter interesting. Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Thin Links In Between**

-The New World-

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A chiming laugh left her redden lips as her slender fingers ran through my loose hair. The blonde found my amazement of her things entertaining for I had never attempted such preparations before. I sat before her, facing the mirror as she twisted my blond locks into a pretty braid that ran down the curve of my neck and to my waist. Rebekah tucked in colorful flowers of vivid reds and gentle pinks, bringing out the shade of forest green from my fitting dress. The mysterious choker was the only jewelry that she allowed me to wear and left my fingers and wrists bare. She had brought cosmetics from the countries she had visited from before, using them on my skin - especially the black foreign substance called kohl that she lightly drew over my eyelids.

At one last glance in the mirror, the frequent look of innocence on my average features had disappeared, only to be replaced by a mask that owned distinction. For once I looked as my age called for me to be, twenty-one. I was not just a girl in the crowd who needn't be named - I was Heidi, a free maiden. "Does it win your favor?" Rebekah asked me, her clear blue eyes shining with mirth.

"Certainly, thank you." I turned to her, a little nervously at the sudden change of my face, "It is far more than I could ever repay-"

"It was not with difficulty, Heidi," she replied easily. Rebekah combed through her hair that was left down with a small twisted braid, curling behind her left ear. The ring that protected her from the sun was on her forefinger, as well as beautiful necklace that rested on her chest. "I do not want any payment of any kind but to watch as their faces express such awe in your presence. It shall be after my eyes capture such a sight alone that I will be satisfied with my work today."

Glancing at her angelic face, I asked curiously, "What is your reason to show the graciousness you have offered to me? I am but a stranger yet you showed me more kindness than one could throughout my life here in this village. Tatia has been my only companion."

"Must there be a reason?" She asked back as she pulled away, running her hand down her sleek midnight blue gown. Rebekah seemed a little irritated at hearing Tatia's name, but when she caught my stare, she forced a smile. Did she not like Tatia?

"To show my gratitude."

Rebekah shook her head, nostalgia flashing across her face. "As I said before, there is no need. We are friends, are we not?"

"O-Of course."

We shared smiles before she took my wrist and led me to the front hall. Rebekah glanced at the choker with skepticism but noticed something else with a smirk. "Calm your heart," she suggested softly. "I wish to surprise them, not tempt them with a new meal. I can suspect that it shall be difficult to keep their hands away from you."

Alarmed, I stopped in the middle of the hallway, grasping her arm with new strength. "Then I must change," I whispered frantically.

Raising an eyebrow, she questioned, "Why must you?"

"I do not need to say for you already know."

My eyes flickered forward to the end of the empty hall and to the wooden oak doors that led to the entrance. A chuckle escaped from her. "They have gone ahead with Lilly and Haldor. No one shall hear but I have some comprehension to what you speak of. It is not your fault, Heidi, and you yourself cannot control one's emotions other than your own. Do you not feel something for Elijah alone?" When I nodded silently, she looked a little relieved. "Then Henrik will be the one to blame for his own misconduct."

Shaking my head, I argued, "I may not return his affections in such a way, but I do not wish to hurt him."

"He will need to learn soon," the blonde muttered wearily. "Do you not want to capture my eldest brother's attention for yourself tonight?"

I blushed at her honesty and took a deep breath, nodding shakily. "We shall go." With all my heart, I was sure of my feelings for Elijah and I was also determined to understand the his reasons for his cold demeanor. This feast was an ingenious opportunity to talk to him.

She opened the doors with ease and we set out in the night with the faint glow of the bonfire to show our way. The cool breeze barely gave me comfort and neither did the brilliant stars in the dark sky. It was a mystical sight to behold each evening but my mind was elsewhere. As my anxiety for their reactions built within my body, my hold on Rebekah's arm tightened. If she were not part of the supernatural, she would have complained of her discomfort. Nevertheless, it was a somewhat pleasant and silent walk to the public square. Torches of fire were posted at the edge of the forest to offer light for those attending and the smell of burning wood mixed together with the mouth-watering scent of food.

There were many familiar faces that I saw around the courtyard, but I knew better than to confront them as if we were friends. Unfortunately, Rebekah's attendance had attracted attention. I had forgotten that she was a lady of high regard in their eyes and many men were seeking a tie of marriage with her. I did not think her brothers would allow such a thing to ever happen for I knew no one could ever be worthy of a woman such as Rebekah. During my stays with her and her family, I grew a little acquainted with their thick auras of power that emanated from their presence alone as others did not. I received many unbelieving second glances - some filled of curiosity, but it did not take them long to realize that it was me.

I was still the village witch.

They, specifically the males, seemed a little disgruntled with me at her side and were hesitant to approach the jewel of their thoughts. I was about to slip away when Rebekah tugged me ahead, not caring how the others saw this to be. She had promised me beauty, yes, but it did not help with the reputation of lies I had here. _My fate is set here._

Music and laughter filled my ears as I studied the merry atmosphere, but I did not find the man I was looking for. Instead Niklaus and Henrik stood ahead as a pair with silver chalices in their hands. They were exceptionally handsome despite wearing the common clothing of our village. I noticed a smirk growing on the blond's face as he listened to the girls giggle and gossip about him from afar. Henrik brightened when he caught sight of his older sister, beckoning us forward.

"Good evenings to you," his voice sounded amused but I dared not look over Rebekah's shoulder, "both."

Niklaus let out a short laugh. "Do not shy away."

I was slightly timid with stepping away behind Rebekah, but she pulled me forward with her inhuman strength. "Henrik, Niklaus," I mumbled weakly in greeting.

Glancing up when I was met with silence, I reddened at their intrigued gazes. I was not sure as to why my heart pounded harder against my chest, but I knew the dangers if I did not heed Rebekah's words. _Calm your heart, she said. _It took time but I eventually eased my nerves and slowed the fast rushing of blood through my veins. _There is no need to be nervous._ The brothers broke out of their daze, the hunger leaving their darkened eyes.

"Your skills do not cease to surprise me, Bekah," Niklaus commented a bit stiffly, finishing his cup greedily.

"You should not have your doubts," she retorted with a small glare.

Her older brother smirked again in reply before slipping through the crowd towards the girls. He was greeted warmly by those he confronted in his way and I watched warily as another poured more liquid into his cup as an offering. Niklaus took it eagerly, patting the man as thanks. It was without wavering that he had been drinking blood. Was that man an immortal too? His family was not relaxed with speaking more about their father or about their rumored calvary. With guilty relief, I noticed that Tatia was nowhere in sight. Her feelings would not be spared of the humiliation once she saw her supposed loyal Klaus in the middle of a crowd of girls.

Henrik stepped forward, taking my hand in his and whispering a gentle kiss on it. A spark ignited in my skin but nothing more. "I must mention how beautiful you look tonight, Heidi."

_Beautiful?_ I echoed in my mind with wonder, exhaling the air from my lungs sharply. That was the first of such compliments that I had ever been given. A small smile grew on my lips, unable to stop it from appearing on my face. "Y-You are too kind, Henrik."

"_Too_ kind, dear brother," Rebekah repeated apprehensively, her eyes looking past Henrik's shoulder.

I followed her stare and a shiver ran through my body as I saw Elijah standing merely a few steps away. He looked as cultured as he had earlier, glancing at everyone with an expression of condescending tediousness. It somewhat frightened me how quickly his personality switched from considerate and civil to intimidating. Much to our disappointment, Yvonne was right beside him, her light green eyes eyeing his bare arms with hints of lust. My stomach swirled with unease, particularly when Yvonne met my gaze and smirked rather saucily. She was as striking as ever with her golden curls and powdered face.

Henrik smiled. "I speak only the truth."

His sister suddenly turned to us with a thoughtful grin. "Would you mind a dance, Heidi?"

"With Henrik?" I clarified, confused of her intentions.

"I would not mind," the youngest brother told us. His hopeful dark brown orbs stayed on me.

Glancing at Yvonne and feeling the surge of envy in my body, I found myself answering without hesitancy, "Nor would I." Then I froze at the realization of my mistake. Embarrassment flooded over my heated cheeks. "But I do not know how."

"He will teach you," Rebekah soothed with a hint of anticipation. "Henrik is but a patient teacher."

I shot her a curious look which she pointedly ignored and trailed after Henrik to the edge of field. We were near the torches that provided warmth and light, not too far to miss the sounds of music but not too near to bring attention to ourselves. His arm encircled around my waist, bringing me close. My breathing hitched unevenly when our hands joined together - warm on top of cold. _This is Henrik_, I reminded myself. _He is but my friend._ Staring into his eyes - painfully similar to that of Elijah's, it did not feel like we were friends but something more. _Ridiculous._

The beat of the songs steadily flowed around us, leading Henrik's footsteps and then mine. There were many times when I stepped on his feet and I uttered too many apologies to Henrik's amusement. "Do not worry. I will not break easily."

"I am aware of that."

After several twirls, he laughed, "Is this not fun? I suppose Rebekah had a point of you attending."

"Very much so," I replied breathlessly, my sheepish smile widening. There was only so much I could be entertained with in Lilly's home. At the last spin, we slowed to a stop and a giggle left my lips. I stared at him inquiringly and wondered why he didn't release me. It was when I noticed the direction of his gaze did I slide far as I could from the immortal with the seventeen year old face. "Henrik."

His aura of cheerfulness dwindled. "I too am aware," was his whist reply. "It is _him_, is it not?"

Biting into my lip, I offered pathetically, "C-Can we not only be friends?"

"Do you not know of my-"

I uttered out, rather perturbed, "Tis not courteous to you. Forgive me if I sound selfish but I worry that . . ."

"What do you worry for?" He queried when I trailed off.

"That you shall leave." Meeting his eyes shyly, I explained with a blush, "I care for you, Henrik. I-I suppose I am g-greedy for your company as I am for Tatia's and Rebekah's, and I worry that if you realize I cannot, erm, _offer_ more than I can give-"

My eyes widened when he cupped my cheek cordially. "I will not leave, Heidi. I will not withdraw from my family nor from you."

"It would not be sincere-"

"This is my mistake to bear. For me to believe it was the time to speak of such things," Henrik assured me, "you are not at fault."

I frowned. "The blame is not yours alone. I-"

"To have emotions and to be human, I will not allow you to be guilty for this." He stepped away to give me space. "Tis not the right moment. Yet."

_The things that are to be said would be announced out loud. Soon, perhaps._ I translated silently with a stiff nod. Henrik took my hand and led me to the table once the solemnity rolled away. Glancing back to Yvonne and Elijah, I could not fight back the frown that settled on my features. She was hanging on his arm and Elijah did not appear to be annoyed at her incessant flirting, but neither did he encourage it. I cleared my throat uncomfortably and distracted myself from the pair. "Where is Uncle Johan?"

Henrik was surprised at my question. "He is with the others, away from here. It is too early for him to dwell with humans too long."

I sighed. "H-How does he fare?"

He brought his hand on my shoulder as a comforting gesture. "There are many things you do not know of us _immortals_. The restraint your uncle shows despite being a newborn is unusual. He holds on to his humanity even after death and for that, I am impressed." His eyes wandered off to a woman in a simple blue gown. Her hair was twisted into a busy bun. _Aunt Sylvia_, I recognized immediately. She did not spot me and continued her way to the other servants of the households. "It is his love for her that gives him strength."

"You sound almost jealous, brother," Niklaus' silky voice came from behind us. I could hear the smirk in his voice alone and did not turn away from Aunt Sylvia's retreating figure until she disappeared into the distance. I missed her terribly.

"Better jealous than bitter, Klaus," Henrik retorted, turning to the side at his brother's glare. My attention flickered to both of them heedfully at the tension rising in the air and much to my relief, Henrik changed the subject. We both knew it was not wise to anger Niklaus by using Laelia as the weapon of choice for attack. "Ah, have you yet to try beer, Heidi?"

A familiar man - Jannick was his name - neared us with refreshments. "To a good night, my friends," Much to my embarrassment and to the brothers' annoyance, he handed Henrik my chalice and left. I faked a smile and forced myself to pay no attention to it. He was one of those who had thought I was a witch like many others did and preferred to keep away from me. It was not significant to see him act in such a way.

"Yes," I mumbled, feeling the rough edges of the metal cup. Niklaus' blue eyes flashed to me as if he just took in my presence, seeing me in a new light so to speak. I had not seen him since his blunder on Laelia's name and I was not sure if he was upset or not. Witnessing the moment earlier, I guessed very much so. There was a loud twinkling laugh from afar. We saw Rebekah and her flock of admirers across the courtyard. She glanced at us in amusement, but did not move away from their eyes.

"Does she enjoy their company?" I asked interestedly. Envy was what I saw in the other girls as they watched the men they desired lust after someone else.

"I honestly cannot blame them, Heidi. My sister is a rare beauty, is she not?" When I nodded with a small smile, Niklaus added with a playful glint in his eyes. "I worry that it is not healthy for Bekah for her ego is big enough as it is."

I turned to see her frowning at Niklaus' tease, almost glaring at her older brother. "Was that a wise thing to say aloud?" I questioned.

"Matters not," Henrik muttered. "Twas only a jest, Rebekah."

Hearing what her brothers said, she let out a scoff before walking away with a man trailing behind her. I warily eyed the two immortals when they shared entertained grins at her irritation. They were not worried for the consequences of annoying her. Henrik faced Niklaus with a new smile, raising his cup to his and gesturing me to do the same. Hesitantly, I did so. "Good health to us all," he toasted with a clear voice.

"To good health." I nodded weakly, flushing at Niklaus' taunting look. They finished their goblets with ease and expected me to do the same.

"You are meant to drink it, Heidi," Niklaus teased mockingly, his lips twitching upward when Henrik fought back another grin.

With a sigh, I took drank from my cup with forced enthusiasm. It was my first drink of beer and it left a thick bitter aftertaste in my mouth before it heated my insides like fire. The liquid literally burned down my throat, leaving stings of pain at its wake. It was horrible, even unbearably painful. I was unable to stop the shudder that ran through my body and my shoulders shook from my racking coughs. Following my initial reaction, I spit back the horrid drink I had yet to swallow and placed it back on the table with haste.

Niklaus let out a laugh at my response. "Not to your liking, I suppose?"

I fought back a grimace, pressing my hand against my squirming stomach. My body felt weak for some reason, my mouth feeling worse and exceptionally loose as I wheezed out the words. "I-Is b-beer to taste as v-vile as that?"

Henrik raised an eyebrow. "You find it that appalling?"

The blond took my chalice from the table, giving it a suspicious whiff. His blue eyes narrowed dangerously. "It has been poisoned for her alone."

"Blood?"

"Yes."

They scanned the courtyard in unison, looking for something - or someone. Their stances had changed as well. Once moderate, they now were threatening. The youngest of the two took hold of Niklaus' wrist. He declared, "It is Mikael, Klaus. He wants our awareness of his arrival."

"That is obvious," he retorted.

"What of Rebekah?"

"I shall find her." Niklaus went of in search for their sister while Henrik gingerly led me to the side, supporting most of my weight. The effects of the poison took its toll slowly and I was grateful I took only two mouthfuls compared to the whole cup. We staggered away from the light and toward where Elijah stood. He had shrugged Yvonne off as he met us halfway, his oak brown eyes watchful.

"With w-what? What poison?" I found myself asking cautiously. I reached for Henrik's arm, clutching onto his sleeve a little desperately. "H-Henrik, w-what is happening?"

"For humans such as your aunt and Tatia, the blood of my family and I - as well as all those of who we have changed - hold healing qualities." His voice dropped to a whisper. "For you, I am afraid it is quite the opposite."

Covering my mouth when I coughed, I gasped, "I-It kills me?"

"Do you hurt?"

"I . . . I feel nauseated."

Henrik accepted the answer easily. "It is your body's way of healing. You are not allowed to reach transition. In this matter, your body rejects what is unclean."

Pausing, I bent over and vomited into a bush. The twigs scratched my face, pestering my skin pink. It was the worst feeling. Gusts of wind flew past me and Henrik suddenly appeared with cups filled of water. He held my hair as I rinsed my mouth clean of the taste and smell. "Better?"

I nodded wearily. "I must thank you."

"The pain will not be harsh, for you had taken mere mouthfuls. It shall pass quicker." Raising a hand to wipe the trickle of water from my lips, he murmured, "Do you remember what you were taught on the changing process from human to what I am?"

"Your blood is required." My eyes widened, not catching the shadow behind me. "Y-Your father's plan to change me-"

"No," Elijah interrupted. I jumped at his reply, unlatching myself from his younger brother feebly. He took my appearance in, losing his train of thought as we stared at each other in silence. _Does he like it?_ I found myself asking. At the sound of Henrik clearing his throat, he continued, "The parent of such blood is merely a changed human, a secondary immortal. If our father was planning a plot so contrary to his beliefs, you would have reacted considerably different to the poison in your drink. It would not only hurt, Heidi."

Henrik nodded. "It would be the meaning of hell; a painful transition."

A chill climbed down my spine. "What? I-I do not understand."

"It will take more than diluted blood to change one such as yourself." Henrik explained reluctantly, "Even if you are to die with an immortal's blood in your system, you will not return to life and follow the steps of your uncle and those before him. It will take vital fluid of purer sources to achieve a goal of reaching the transition in your behalf."

"Only from the blood of the originators of our kind can you be changed." Elijah simplified. "Either members of our family has that power over one like yourself-"

"Y-you did not think to tell me o-of this?" I questioned incredulously, letting out a moan when my stomach turned at the fresh scent of food. It made me queasy. Their expressions seemed troubled and they knew that they could not help me - at least, not _that_ way. I did not want to kiss them - to erase the pain - for I would not become _that_ kind of woman Rebekah warned me about. She did not desire to have her brothers pulled along with their emotions by one girl, neither did I.

"Surely you thought of this before?" Henrik asked, pointedly disregarding his brother's glare.

"If she were sane, she would not go through such pain for a life like this."

They shared light glares as Henrik snapped, "That is her decision."

"One I will make sure she will not have to choose."

"Tis not to you, Elijah."

_"Stop!"_ I cried out, hiding my face in my hands. _Breathe, Heidi._

Of course I had considered the topic of immortality but I refused to answer. Elijah was an immortal while I was not. If I wanted to stay with him forever, then I would too wish such a fate no matter how damned he viewed his life to be. But could I really bring myself to their level, the indifference they had toward killing whoever they wished - innocent or not? Elijah had morals, but if he so saw his actions fit, he would kill mercilessly to protect his family. Perhaps for me as well. _To live forever surpasses any sin against humanity, would it not?_

I inhaled much needed air into my lungs to fill my head with working thoughts, looking up. "How d-did you come to know o-of this? H-Have you _tested_ such conclusions . . ?"

The brothers exchanged prudent glances. They did not look as provoked as before. Henrik replied, "You must ask Niklaus of this. He was the founder of this secret, and it will be he who will explain it to you."

"W-Why am I any different?" When they made no move to answer, I pressed urgently, "You have yet to answer."

"You did not know earlier," Elijah responded, "and you need not know now."

"Then when shall you tell me?"

"Do remember that you are indecisive to know such things as I am to tell them," he pointed out sternly. I pushed my shame away for I already knew that we were both at fault for my ignorance. When I decided to give him a pleading stare, Elijah sighed. "Someday. I had promised, did I not?"

_Yes, he promised he would tell me, but he did not promise soon or when._

Remaining silent at his indirection, I leaned against the tree in my fatigue. I disregarded their glances of slight concern and settled into my thoughts, the perfect distraction. The voices of warning had faded into mere mumbles of nonsense, gibberish for the lack of better terms. Was this an effect of the blood as well? Aside from the energy that had seeped off my body, my instincts dissolved away and I did not know what to do. There was no guidance to follow from. _Should there be? _I stiffened. The other side of me - the darker part of my conscience was astonishingly _close _to the surface of my mind. It had broken the heavy locks of its containment. Usually brought out by anger, it was puzzling as to why I was fighting for control when I was not agitated.

_No. _Clenching my hands into fists, I shut my eyes and fought against it. I did not want to cause another scene as I had with Niklaus in front of the villagers, especially with Henrik and Elijah so near. "Heidi,"

My eyes snapped open when I felt a hand on my elbow, instantly caging the monster inside. "Elijah?" I whispered delicately in reply. His smoldering dark brown eyes held mine with an intense emotion I could not decipher, but that did not matter much at that moment. He was not showing me the apathy he had for the whole day - _finally_. I was ever thankful for that. "W-What is it . . ?"

His eyes flickered away. I followed his gaze to the edge of the forest. To my surprise, one man and one woman stood with there, their interested stares focused on the two brothers alone. I did not think they saw me behind them for Elijah hid me well. They shared the same shade of dark curly red hair, sun-kissed skin, and beautiful gray jade eyes. I could tell they were siblings, most likely twins, at their similarities of their bone structures. They wore strange clothing - more for traveling than for attending a feast. The pair held themselves tall beside each other under the brothers' patronizing gazes. A feeling of old power emanated from the two of them, but it could not compare to Elijah or his family - especially Niklaus.

The gorgeous woman, perhaps younger than twenty-five years, crossed her arms over her chest. She did not incline her head as a sign of respect as her brother did. "Mikael sends his apologies for his lack of appearance."

"He has sent us in his stead," the man finished for her, "for we have a message from your father."

"Drusa, Caius," Elijah greeted politely, wearing his mask again. "What does he wish to say?"

Caius answered, "Mikael does not wish for his children to pay the price of their misconceptions, particularly for Klaus. The loyalties you feel toward such a monster are merely delusions of trust what were never there - of what were never meant to be. He is ready to forgive a millennia of treachery as he had offered before."

"How inviting."

I was astounded to learn that it was Henrik who had said those mocking words. His face was set on a hard scowl. Elijah supported Henrik's ridicule much more civilly, however the meaning stayed the same. As did the threat under their words. "We shall refuse him once more, Caius, and we will keep rejecting such vulgar offers in the future. If Mikael cannot accept that, he should know it is not only his time that is wasted over this affair."

Caius scowled. "Your arrogance will play as your demise."

"He shall not ask again. Not anymore, keep in mind." Drusa frowned. I noticed how peeved Henrik was at her audacity, Elijah as well. Unable to help myself, my hand covered his - cold against warm. He seemed to relax slightly at my touch. "You have had your warning-"

"When will you leave?" Henrik asked with suspicion, interrupting them twice.

"Once Klaus is dead," she answered without batting an eyelash.

"Such unwelcoming thoughts are unbecoming of you, Drusa," a voice observed out loud. The others did not appear to be surprised at his sudden presence. "How long has it been?"

A sly smirk rose on her lips as she sashayed to the handsome blond. Her voice dropped seductively. "_Far_ too long, Klaus,"

"Drusa," her brother murmured carefully.

"It is a very thin line between love and hate, brother," Drusa called over her shoulder. Niklaus allowed her to rake her long pointed nails down his clothed chest. The sight alone was too provocative to watch and I glanced away until she returned to Caius' side, catching sight of her predacious smirk. "Such a shame we are to stand on opposite sides, Klaus."

Niklaus tilted his head in amusement. "A pity, that is."

My hand gripped Elijah's arm when a shot of pain ran through my body, a breathless pant leaving my lips. My stomach was not finished clearing itself of immortal blood. Much to Drusa's indignation, Niklaus' blue eyes met mine. Our stare was broken by Rebekah as she instantly appeared at my side, making me jump in surprise. She wore a frightening expression toward the twin redheads. "You have scorned us. I would have assumed after a millennia you would have learned from your mistakes."

"We are here only as messengers," Caius brought out emotionlessly, "for we will not fight tonight. We pose no threat to your human."

Niklaus gave Henrik a meaningful look. Glancing at me hesitantly, he nodded and disappeared into the darkness with his amazing speed. My heart picked up when Drusa turned to me with an intimidating glare, studying my face like a predator did to its prey. "What is she to be called today? Katja? Siri?"

"Heidi," I blurted out with more courage than I was feeling. "_I_ am called Heidi."

She looked amused at my tiny quivers, but that did not last when she said, "I do suppose it is better than those of before." Before I could blink, Drusa was held by her throat against a tree. The hand belonged to Niklaus and I was pulled back from sight by Elijah. The younger siblings warned Caius of any retaliation with a copy of guarded stances, challenging him to even move. He let out an inhuman hiss but conceded to the fact that he would lose against them, keeping his face of stone.

"Mind what you say for it may be your last."

Drusa let out a wheeze, digging her nails dangerously deep into his pale skin. She drew blood but Niklaus did not seem to notice under his internal strife. "Does this not remind you of those times centuries ago? Though I must admit, you were gentler then."

"Faintly."

Rebekah snapped impatiently at both of them, "It disgusts me to remember the redheaded harlot you once were. You as well, Nik."

"Need I pull out your tongue before tonight is over?" Niklaus threatened darkly. I did not know who to but from the lack of tension in Elijah's arms, I could correctly presume it had been towards Drusa.

She smirked. "Your beloved Laelia would have approved, no?"

I heard reverberations of growls and nothing more for they disappeared into the forest. Thunderous snaps of breaking wood filled the forest with echoing sounds, but it came as a surprise that no one in the feast acknowledged it. I did not need to check to know that Caius fled and I could not blame him for anyone would be a fool to. The eldest of the family anticipated this and quickly gave me to Rebekah. "Take her to Yvonne. She is not to be left alone." With that, he too was gone.

Surprised, Rebekah did as she was asked without question. She was mindful of her strength to not bruise me and we went through the crowd in a hurried pace. Our attention to the feast had disappeared altogether now that we were sure Mikael was here - and that he knew of me. Caius knowingly affirmed this himself. The beauty beside me was stiff, obviously worried for her family's safety and my own. "Rebekah? Are you alright?" I asked once we were far from potential eavesdroppers.

"Simply perfect," she grumbled, pulling me along gently. She had caught my discomfort earlier.

Not wanting to agitate her further, I followed Rebekah to the edge of the village and squinted at the darkness. I could not see and walked blindly, using my arm as a shield for my face. When I could see again, we were near the meadow and past the trees, far from the public square. Both of us heard moans a few steps away. With a reddened face, I saw Yvonne at the distance with a familiar man. They appeared to be kissing. "Jannick," I whispered to the blonde. "He had given me the chalice."

A frown grew on her face and she was suddenly behind the couple, tearing the man off of Yvonne. "Rebekah?" She gasped in shock, wiping her mouth with her ruffled sleeve. She was drunk. Her cloudy light green eyes then narrowed at me accusingly, sneering, "Of course . . . The free woman makes her appearance tonight of all nights. How _grand_."

"Who was the one to give you the cup?" Rebekah hissed, ignoring Yvonne's pettiness.

His voice was alarmingly void and empty. "Matthias is his name."

"Where is he?"

"The caves," Jannick answered blankly, "in the north of the forest."

Tossing him away impatiently, Rebekah's blue eyes clashed against bright green. Yvonne let out a short scream before she was mesmerized with the immortal's hypnotizing gaze. I flinched when I heard Jannick's low groan on the ground and the snaps of broken branches as he staggered to his feet. "You are to stay with Heidi," the blonde ordered. I could only gape at her acts of compulsion. "Where she goes, you will follow."

"I am to stay with Heidi. Where she goes, I will follow." Yvonne echoed in a disturbing daze.

She turned to me and Yvonne took in a sharp inhale of air, falling backwards. I was somewhat terrified at the reminder of her power but stayed my ground. Rebekah was my friend. I had no right to fear her. "You will stay here?"

"Are you leaving?"

"I must find this Matthias for it is obvious that he works with Mikael. Elijah and Niklaus would want to know more of this person." When she caught my look, Rebekah spared me an assuring smile. "I shall be fine. I do not need my brothers' protection for something as simple as this."

"Be careful."

She nodded before she disappeared. Regrettably, the drunk did not stay silent.

"So," Yvonne began loudly, swinging her arms around her. The skirts of her scarlet red dress picked up at her drunken dance. I took a cautious step forward when she tripped on a branch, giving Jannick a wary glance of help. He did not even look at me, clearly in deep thought. With a sigh, I inched nearer. I may be freed from serving the likes of her, but I did not want Yvonne harming herself out of foolishness. "What is it like to be a free woman? Everything you expected? Or is it more?" I reached for her and jumped away when she swung too near for comfort. "Do not touch me, _witch_!"

"I am no witch!" I argued, bothered that she could not keep quiet.

"Jannick, set your eyes on this." Letting out a harsh laugh, Yvonne mocked, "My dear, you are free for merely days and you gained the courage to talk back to your mistress? So sudden for my taste to favor, I must add."

"You are my mistress no more."

"No!" She yelled in irritation, stumbling her way forward. Yvonne tripped again and her hand made contact with my face before she crashed against the tree, hanging against its branch to keep upright. At my weak state, I fell to the ground with a groan. My cheek throbbed, my head pounding. "You shall always be a servant for you are meant for trivial things alone, nothing else."

Vile climbed up my throat. I swallowed uncomfortably, brushing my palm against my stinging skin with great care. "Why do you hate me so?" I found myself asking quietly. The beer had disentangled her tongue. "I have not harmed you nor your family! This is unfair-"

"_Poor girl!_ Poor sweet Heidi. You should have learned by now that life is not fair. It is cruel. Men fall for the innocent - the weak and pathetic who cannot take care of themselves in this village of ours. They would have fallen for you as well if they did not fear the unknown."

"They are lies. They do not matter." I muttered, holding myself up with my elbows. The need to vomit was growing.

"I protected you," she breathed with a smirk. Yvonne crouched beside me, her breath stinking of beer and her curls showering over half her oval face. "Twas not hard to convince the community of your supposed witchcraft, particularly the men. I must admit it was rather fun."

"Why speak-"

"You had been the quiet child of this village - reserved to shy away from any company, even mine." She sneered, "You should have heard what my parents thought of you, their pity for your being and the life you were owed to live - _heartbreaking_. Your aunt was worried for your sake. The lies that would have been spoken for your hand. It is only natural to be envious."

Staring at her with new understanding, tears blurred my vision and split down my cheeks. I could not believe the woman who I had taken cared of since childhood would do such a terrible thing. It was far from unprincipled. It was baleful. "_You_ - it was you. The lies and gossip that had been thrown my way for all these years." I cried out, jumping to my feet. I grew lightheaded at my rash actions but managed to stand. "It was of your doing!"

She let out a scoff, repeating the words that I did not want to hear. "I protected you, Heidi, but it seems you have found a new protector."

"Years of your protection were certainly not needed!" I spat out in anger. All the factors of my past life and the years of mistreatment fueled my infuriation for Yvonne. Whirling away from her, I walked farther from the feast and past Jannick. He was breathing a bit heavily, burying his head in his hands. "Do not dare speak of his name."

_"Elijah." _The blonde pushed her palm on my shoulder, grasping my wrist in a tight hold. "_Your_ darling Elijah, yes?"

"Unhand me-"

"How did it feel, Heidi, to have the man you care for in the arms of another?"

"He did not want you!"

A malicious grin grew on her face. "Admit your jealousy. Tis only easy."

I unsuccessfully tugged free. "Release my hand."

"Though I am curious as to why he would pursue a girl of low stature-"

"He does not want me either!" I blurted out loud, another layer of tears building in my eyes. "It seems as if he does not."

She stared at me smugly. "Then you are a fool."

Put out, I opened my mouth to argue when Jannick shot up from his position with a determined expression. He reached out for Yvonne, unsheathing a long dagger and plunging it into her chest. _"Aah!"_

Her shrill scream filled the air, ringing sharply in my ears until it dropped to a lasting sigh. I could not utter a word as I watched helplessly. Drops of scarlet blood seeped into her dress and skin as she fell to the ground, dying. Jannick marched to my still figure with his intentions to make me his second victim clear in his darkening eyes. I raised my hands instinctively and he was shoved to his back by the force of brilliant blue fire sprouting from my fingertips, the dagger skidding away from his reach. He let out a yell of pain. I had burned him without remorse.

"Yvonne!" I cried out in panic as I dropped beside her body. Her eyes were unseeing when her head tilted to me limply. "Y-Yvonne . . ."

_She is dead._

I did not know how long I crouched next to her body. May it be short moments or long ones, it was not clear. At the corner of my eye, Jannick appeared to be unconscious. _But not by my hand._ I stared at the bloodied dagger in horror for that ended a life. Then the strangest feeling overcame me. It fought back against the shock and nausea that had frozen my body and I gasped out for air. I did not realize I had stopped breathing. The winds began to pick up in strength, swirling all around me in haunting whispers. It cooled my skin to the touch. My tears were drying as I shivered at the sudden cold, listening to the trees nearby rustling in reply.

_What is this?_

Listening to intuition, I turned away from Jannick and stepped back from Yvonne's body. A woman of forty years with dark skin and thick weaved hair sauntered forward, gliding past the trail. Her neck was adorned with wooden beads of necklaces, but her dress was layered and plain. She was not rich or poor, but a lady of her own right. It was not her lack of reaction for the dead body in front of her that had startled me greatly, but at one glance, a feeling of faithfulness grew within me. My instincts screamed to trust her, a stranger who was not affected by the sight of death. _But why?_

I stammered, "W-Who are y-you?"

"Ayana," she replied, her voice somewhat assuaging. When she neared, I surprised myself by mirroring her movements and we met halfway in the path. She reached out with her palm open and bare. "I ask your credence, young one."

Silent, I took her hand with assurance. At her touch, warmth flooded every inch of my body. _Amazing,_ a voice called in my head. _The power . . ._ It was nothing I felt before, not smothering nor debilitated. It was soothing, almost comforting despite what I had witnessed earlier. She was not a mere human but she was not an immortal either. "M-May I ask what are you?"

A guilty look crossed her features. "A witch."

Strangely enough, I believed her claim. _She_ was a witch, not _I_, yet where was she for the years I had endured? My head was overwhelming with questions and I forced them down with great difficulty. There were so many things that were left unanswered about Elijah, his family, _me_. At least now - with my origins alone, I became resolved with learning more than ever before. I could not be indecisive as Elijah pointed out and I could not push this chance to waste. But would she provide the answers I desired? Her dark eyes looked at Jannick with growing anger. "It was my doing. He is still alive at my mercy."

In a strained voice, I asked, "What is i-it that you want?"

Ayana only handed me a note of thick paper, gesturing me to slip it into my dress pocket. I did so obediently. "I believe we have much to discuss, but we cannot talk now." She glanced at the direction of the public square. "If you wish to meet once more, come to me tomorrow morning."

I shook my head. "H-How will I find you? I cannot escape the watch of my friends."

"Friends," she repeated with a slight frown. With a deep breath, Ayana composed herself for my benefit. "I insist that you must sneak away. You will know where to look. If not, then we shall not meet again."

"Ayana," I whispered cautiously. I did not know her and yet I was taking Ayana's words with constancy. Reminding myself that Elijah and his family would not deal well with betrayal, I was stuck on two paths and I could not choose. There was a possibility that this was Mikael's work of deceit, but I did not feel the danger at the thought of seeing her again. _You are betraying no one_, my conscience argued. _You must meet her tomorrow. If they are truly your friends, they will not overreact indecently._

"It is a rare honor in meeting you, young one. Decide wisely." Ayana offered me a smile before disappearing into the thickets. It was as if she had not existed.

Time passed excruciatingly lethargic once again. I was alone and it graciously gave me a while to think, but it did not take long for someone to find me. I had hoped it to be Henrik or Rebekah, even Elijah sounded welcoming enough. To my disappointment and fear, it was Niklaus. Stains of blood were splattered across his sculptured body. Any injuries he may had suffered already healed. His long blond hair was askew and his clothes were torn apart, hanging by shreds of thin cloth. It gave me an alluring view of his pale chiseled chest, but I did not ogle too long for a tremor escaped my body. He glanced at Jannick fleetingly before his attention went to Yvonne. "She has died?"

"He stabbed her in the heart," I told him, blinking back another waterfall that was threatening to release.

"What a shame."

A groan left my dry throat and I staggered to the trees with one idea in mind. Niklaus seemed to have turned to me, unaffected much to my exasperation. "What of you, Heidi?"

My response was to vomit behind the bush, my hand clenching the part of my skirt that hid Ayana's note from sight. _Keep it safe. _My heart grew heavy at my decision. I knew what I had to do and yet I was not at all happy with what I had decided. Not realizing my break point of exhaustion, everything went black. I did not take in Niklaus' arms around me as I fainted. If I had known, I would have felt terror and not the comfort I really needed.


	18. To Leave Or To Stay

_This is the finishing of the Mystic Falls Pageant, more of Bonnie and perhaps even Damon, Alaric, and John. A short part with Heidi. It's good to update and hopefully, you like my story [especially since you read this far]. Thank you so much again - I am ever grateful. I hope I didn't add too many new minor characters in the 1024/1025 timeline! Oh, and THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING! It really made my day:) Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Eighteen**

**To Leave Or To Stay**

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2010

My phone rang loudly, waking up from my slumber. "Huh?" I brought my head up with a tired groan before I reached out to turn off that infernal device, my fingers itching to throw it against the wall. As long as it would shut up, I didn't mind getting a new phone. I was up for an upgrade anyways. Glancing at the bright screen, I immediately shot out of bed in a hurry. It had been another text from Bonnie, saying: **Where r u? Care's looking 4 u and we still need 2 talk. The pageant's starting soon.**

"Damn!" I cried out, tripping on my comforters and narrowly missing a hit to the forehead again. _What is it with me and bedside tables?_

Three and a half hours had passed during my nap. I had missed a handful of phone calls from my friends, Winnie, and surprisingly Alaric. _How did he get my phone number?_ It was obviously Damon's doing but I was curious as to why he did that. It was kind of weird having my history teacher know my number, even if he was a vampire hunter. Pushing the idea away, I ran to my closet as I called for a taxi, giving me at least ten minutes to get ready. There was no time for me to take a shower and I slipped into my a sleeveless beige dress with a wide white belt. Using fragrant hair foam, I twisted my hair into a messy half-do and put on weaved wedges as my shoes.

I caught sight of the Sheila's choker at the top of my jewelry box and couldn't fight the frown that grew on my face. _I need to get over this. I need to say goodbye already._

_But I can't,_ I found myself answering. _Not yet._ As selfish as it sounded, she was the only one who could help me with my powers. Sheila knew what I was. Even with Bonnie, I was as clueless as ever. Nature's reincarnation didn't cut out for me anymore. What was that even supposed to mean? Whatever the answer was, it didn't change the fact that I wanted to learn _more_. I also wanted to leave it behind but forcing determination, I tied it around my neck. It gave me a unique kind of comfort despite the melancholy it made me feel.

The taxi cab arrived in perfect timing as I locked the door and told him the directions to the Founder's Hall. It didn't take long to spot the building that was elegantly decorated for the event. All the driver had to do was follow the trail of mixed match balloons. Carol liked publicity, discreet or not. After paying the man the fee I owed him, I straightened up my dress and delved into the crowd. Loud murmurs of their conversations filled the hall. There was a sea of faces greeting me inside. Lots of people were in different colors, especially the women, and I watched them gathering around in stereotypical cliques with their thin glasses of champagne. It was difficult to spot a familiar person through the masses, but not impossible.

Luck, unfortunately, was not on my side today. Rather recklessly, I met gazes with John Gilbert - the one person I was not ready on confronting yet. He was coincidentally standing beside Alaric who followed his stare to me. "Oh, crap . . ."

John's dark eyes widened considerably and I saw Alaric ask him what was wrong without having to hear the words. If I wasn't so anxious, I would have laughed at his stupefied expression. I swallowed nervously, putting up a cool face and taking a deep breath. My grip on my clutch tightened when I sauntered in front of the two men. "-suppose. How interesting," he said to Alaric.

"Hey, Alaric," John rose an eyebrow, eyeing my history teacher and I suspiciously. It was an awkward moment for the two of us.

"Char," Alaric greeted, "Er, Caroline was panicking earlier. She didn't know where you were."

"I texted her," I answered honestly. I had nothing else to do during the taxi ride and it was better to face the fire sooner than later, especially when it came to my overexcited second cousin. She replied back, of course, with five long messages that were filled to their maximum. Only Caroline would make the time to get ready for a pageant _and_ type me a lecture about the importance of one's punctuality. "She already knows I'm here. Took a lot to get her to forgive me though."

Alaric glanced at John. "Um, this is Chardonnay Blackburn. We moved in Mystic Falls around the same time, I think."

"A day or so apart."

"She's one of my history students-"

"One of his best," I interrupted.

"Er, not really, Char. You need to study more to catch up." He shook his head at my pout. It wasn't that I was a horrid student to have, but books bored me to death. I would rather watch the book in its movie version than read it through paper and ink. Missing one day of class didn't really help with my situation. "And this is John Gilbert."

He composed himself and reached for my hand to shake. "Nice to meet you, Char."

_Wish I could say the same._

John had the same idea as I did with keeping our godfather/god-daughter relationship a secret, but that didn't help with the bitterness that was pent up inside of me. I would never admit this aloud, but it hurt that he too didn't want others to know about our family ties to each other. Wasn't he supposed to be the mature _honest_ one here? It wasn't fair. _Life isn't fair_, I reminded myself sternly. I bit back a lot of very bad words that were ready to burst out of my mouth and faked a smile. "You too, John."

Alaric added, "He's Elena's uncle."

"Oh, really?" At the sight of his usual mask, I yielded to impulse and decided to challenge him. "You know, I never knew Elena had an uncle and I'm friends with her."

The corners of his lips twitched downward. "We don't exactly have the bests of bonds right now."

"Hmm, I wonder why." Despite being the second adult in our conversation and not having a clue about my sudden irritation toward the dirty blond, I saw the smirk growing on Alaric's lips at the corner of my eye. He made it clear he wasn't much of a fan of John's as well. Who was?

"Your eyes," John began with sudden smirk. "Are they really that color - very dark green? It looks a bit artificial if you ask me."

I scoffed at him, dropping my friendly aura as quickly as he did. I wasn't comfortable with leaving the house without wearing my contacts and no one else bothered to notice its significance. "So this is just a visit then?" I questioned too confidently.

"Expect me around for longer than that."

Crossing my arms, I retorted, "How unusual, I can only guess. I pictured you to be a man who visits once then never again."

Alaric cleared his throat uncomfortably at our exchange of glares. "Why don't you find your friends, Char? They're probably looking for you too."

"Fine." With a stiff nod and a lasting glance at my godfather, I made my way to the other side of the hall. That wasn't my ideal confrontation since it lacked a few broken plates and a lot of spilt champagne - a punch here and there - but no one could really get the whole drama scene, even if they were the fun parts.

There were a handful of classmates of mine grouped together in their own crowds - the young versus the old, it seemed. I even saw Tyler, Sarah, and Aimiee at the corner. A swelling bruise was growing on the side of Tyler's face, more pronounced than the rest of his wounds. As much as I missed his company, I didn't feel like dealing with him or his party followers. They were rather annoying with all the petty gossip they talked about. I met a few people who knew of my mother and exchanged short small talk with them, never staying for more than a few minutes.

I was looking for the familiar chocolate-skinned friend of mine as I gradually neared the stairs. Instead, I bumped into Damon. "What were you doing up there?" I asked. My hand bent over at our crash, nearly spilling the champagne from the glass I sneakily stole from the table. Thankfully, no adult was there to shoot me the you-should-know-better look. I hated those. "I thought those are girls-only rooms."

"I did my good deed today, confessing what Stefan wouldn't to lovely Elena," he answered. Damon wore a black tux as most of the men did here with his black hair gelled back and away from his face. His striking blue eyes flashed against my murky green almost tauntingly. They dropped down to my choker in surprise, but he said dismissively, "It's a lovers' spat up there, honestly."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I translated, "You blabbered about his new diet? To his girlfriend of all people? Harsh."

"She needed to know," Damon replied with a nonchalant shrug.

"Like you didn't _want_ her to," I teased, hiding my worry for Elena and Stefan behind a forced grin. "How did Stefan get addicted to it in the first place?"

"He had a taste of Elena's blood. To be frank, I'm kinda jealous." When he saw my disbelieving expression, he explained boredly how his younger brother needed blood after defeating Frederick. _But that had been days ago - right after we saved him from the tomb vampires._ I was irritated that I wasn't told earlier by both of them, but I knew I didn't have the right to be mad. I was giving out mixed signals and I couldn't blame them if they were confused about my loyalty. "Though I should tell you, Char, I _hate_ being the responsible one."

"This is you being responsible?" I asked in amusement.

He rolled his eyes at my antics, but a smile was growing on the corners of his mouth. "It explains why Stefan's so freaking broody everyday, trying to save everyone_ all the time_. Must be exhausting. I mean, he's annoyingly idealistic. Being badass is _so_ much more fun."

"Don't you sound hopeful. I thought you wanted Stefan straightened out."

"Hey, don't get judgy on me all of a sudden." Damon made a face of dislike. "That's Bonnie's job."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Speaking of Bonnie, have you seen her?"

He was about to say something - most likely sarcastic from the looks of it - when Carol called for our attention. The mindless chatter slowly came to a stop as we looked to the mayor's wife. She literally glowed under our light scrutiny while she began the introductions of the pageant. With a clear voice, Carol announced, "Miss Tina Fell, escorted by Mister Bartholomew Whitmore."

Glancing across from me, I noticed John had left Alaric's side and was replaced by Jenna who was all dolled up nicely. They made a cute couple - somewhat. Jenna saw me staring and offered a smile which I quickly returned sheepishly. I approved and disapproved of their pairing at the same time. _Again, weird. _"Bartholomew," I heard Damon mutter in an unpalatable tone.

"Act nice." I mumbled under my breath.

Damon was amused at my scolding but didn't say anything else in reply. We watched as Tina made her way down the steps gingerly in her long ankle-length dress, careful not to trip as she took her escort's hand. They walked side by side to the outdoor courtyard where the dance would take place. Carol disappeared for a short while before coming out of the second floor to say, "Miss Caroline Forbes and her escort, Mister Jeffery Lockwood Hamilton."

My second cousin had informed me earlier that she couldn't go with Matt. His job at the Mystic Grill was seriously straining his relationship with her, much to my disappointment. I smiled at Caroline proudly once I caught her eye. She beamed in return though I could see the nervousness underneath her coolheaded mask. Her silky blond hair was down in smooth waves and her sleek dress was long, shining in the shade of emerald green.

Once the pair walked outside, Carol went deeper into the top floor before returning again with a large smile. "Miss Elena Gilbert, escorted by Mister Stefan Salvatore."

Damon and I turned to see that the escort's spot was empty and Elena was already gliding down the stairs, a little panicked at Stefan's absence. I could see the interest, even a little uncertainty sparking in Damon's blue eyes. Elena might not have acknowledged anything particularly romantic between her and her boyfriend's older brother, but that didn't mean the others would do the same. The possibility of the two of them as a couple was always lingering at their backs - small hints of sexual tension in other words. Damon wanted her obviously. _For looking like Katherine or for being herself - for being Elena?_

With a sigh, I gave the black-haired vampire a gentle push towards the brunette. "Go get her." He didn't seem to notice my budge when he neared and kept his dazed eyes on her. They whispered a conversation while Elena took his arm, following the pathway to the courtyard.

Jenna's voice drifted to my ears when she asked, "Alaric, what is she doing with Damon? I thought Carol said _Stefan_."

"Er, I have no idea." My history teacher looked to me for the answers and I shrugged. I didn't know where Stefan was either.

The dance was rather old-fashioned. The pairs were lined up by appearance, patiently waiting for the music to begin. Their palms were not allowed to touch as they twirled together in harmony, eyeing each other flirtatiously. The choreography was simple but it held some sort of intensity. I watched them circle each other to the beat, clapping with the audience when they finished. Carol walked up to the front again and held an envelope in her hands. "I'd like to make a thank you, before we crown Miss Mystic Falls, to all of these _very_ promising ladies for their combined efforts to better our town. Your accomplishments tonight are greatly appreciated."

After another round of applause, she broke the red wax seal. Elena and Caroline intertwined hands in silent support. "It is my honor to announce our next Miss Mystic Falls," Carol paused dramatically, "Miss Caroline Forbes!"

"I won!" I heard her squeal in happiness. She hugged Elena tightly. "Oh, my God! I can't believe I won!"

"Congratulations!" Elena laughed as Carol placed the banner over her shoulders. Caroline turned to me with a huge grin and I gave her a thumbs up, letting her have her moment in the spotlight alone. She was immediately showered with felicitations and flatteries, which she accepted eagerly.

Following most of the guests back inside to the refreshment tables, I finally saw Bonnie in the corner of a connecting room. She was keeping to herself. Her reserve had not broken since this morning and I was starting to miss the caring witch who wasn't bitter in showing compassion - the friend of mine before Sheila had died. "Bonnie?" I called out, watching as she brightened at the sight of me. Accepting her short hug with forced enthusiasm, she wordlessly pulled me to a private area. "What's up? What was it you wanted to talk about during school?"

Bonnie pursed her lips, thinking of her words carefully. "Something's different about you, Char."

I blinked. _What? _"What do you mean?"

"It was earlier today when I noticed it, but I couldn't mention it in front of Elena or Caroline. Especially not in front of _him_." Her pretty face darkened at the memory of Stefan alone. How much more Damon? She continued warily, "It's about your energy."

"What about it?" I was curious to know what she meant. Did Bonnie know why I felt so exhausted all of a sudden?

"It's hard to explain but _something_ changed. It's different now. Before I left Sunday, your aura was - I don't know - sunny, somewhat dim because of the tomb spell. . ." My friend trailed off, unable to finish her thought without difficulty. She was thinking of Sheila.

"Sunny," I repeated with a slight of doubt.

She grumbled, pressing her fingers on the bridge of her nose, "It sounds stupid, doesn't it?"

Not wanting to frustrate her more, I placed a hand on her shoulder soothingly. She relaxed slightly. "I was bright?" I offered, pushing back my confusion. If anything, I would have guessed that my aura was dark and gloomy.

"Something like that," Bonnie agreed with a tired sigh. "Now you're kind of opaque, a bit shadowy. I think it's linked to your powers, Char. Did you do something at all when I was gone - something involving magic or your affinities for nature?"

My mind returned to Stefan's rescue - that long tiring night since I had been both drained physically and somewhat emotionally. "Stefan was in trouble and Elena begged me to help." She shot me a look. "They need help, Bonnie. I couldn't turn them away, vampire or not."

"Whatever." She frowned, knowing I was right anyways. "Did you try anything else?"

A grimace settled on my face. I could recall how much power I had unwittingly used to immobilize six vampires only on my second try, ignoring all of Sheila's warnings without a second thought. It made me cringe at the remembrance of the headaches, the never-ending _ringing_ in my ears, and that awful nosebleed. I never had one before that night. _That was my mistake and I am paying for it._ Staring at Bonnie with realizing eyes, "It was my fault. Sheila told me about my influence over blood and I used it-"

"Power over blood?" Bonnie looked disturbed. "That sounds kind of dark, Char."

I instantly became defensive. "Bonnie, I'm not doing anything bad. I wouldn't have done what I did if I didn't have a good reason to."

"Did Grams warn you of anything about it? I never read anything about _that_ power when I was reading through her grimoires, and trust me, if it's not there then it's a problem." _Problem? _I was surprisingly tempted to lie. _But why? I shouldn't hide anything from Bonnie of all people. _When she saw my hesitance, she pressed with a tinge of urgency, "We're in this together. We promised Grams to watch out for each other, remember? I plan on keeping that promise if you are so you'll have to tell me what's going on with you."

Biting my lip, I conceded. I really did want my friend back. "There's a ying for every yang, right? The way she told me about it, my guess is it's one of the dark sides of nature. Sheila was worried that I would probably go crazy with power."

"That you'd like it?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't."

"Char, I didn't say you did," she reminded me gently, "but it's safer if you don't use it. If Grams warned you about that-"

"I can control it," I found myself lying through my teeth. _What the hell am I saying? I _can't _control it. Why couldn't I say that instead?_

As much as I wanted to take back those words, a part of me didn't want to let go. Now that I thought over it, the idea of having that much power over someone's body and actions was overwhelming yet _enticing_ to achieve. And it was all possible because of their blood alone. _You sound like a vampire_, my conscience noted worriedly. I hadn't realized Sheila's words were becoming true and it all started when that I disregarded her cautions. It didn't matter that my abilities were out of whack after Sheila's death. It was easy to learn it was an aftershock of dealing with a strong spell as a novice. Apparently my emotions played an important part on it too.

Bonnie's eyes narrowed at me as she caught my lie and I sighed. "Do you think that's why I'm moodier than usual? I'm just so agitated most of the time. It's getting tiring."

"There are side effects when witches use to much power all at once, even worse than mood swings. With you straining yourself like this, accident or not-"

"What about defense?" I interrupted, some side of me not wanting to hear the rest of her words. I noticed Damon and Elena down the hallway and questioned shamelessly, "Aren't you the one practicing with whatever you can against vampires?"

"You can die, Char, like Grams had with that spell. It won't help anyone at all if you're dead." Her voice was much softer than before. "I can't lose you too."

_What am I doing? Protect Bonnie, not hurt her._

With a convicted smile, I grasped her hand tightly. I hadn't acknowledged that she needed me as well and that was a bit selfish of me. Keeping to my vow, I assured Bonnie, "Hey, you won't lose me and I certainly won't die because of something stupid. I'll stay away from using _it_ unless I really have to, but I won't promise something I won't be able to keep in the future."

"Char-"

"If I have to use my powers to protect those I care about - particularly you, Winslow, and Care - then I will. Blood and all." I smirked. "Just like you."

". . . I can respect that," she muttered honestly.

We shared a small smile at our agreement but our moment didn't last when Damon and Elena turned to the exit, unknowingly brushing past us as they went. The witch beside me stiffened. We heard them mention a missing girl named Amber and Stefan in the same sentence. _Would Stefan hurt_ _her?_ Then again, he wasn't in his right mind._ So what the hell is he thinking?_

Concerned, Bonnie looked at me inquiringly before following the couple; I was right behind her. "This is one of those times," she grumbled. Once we were outside, the gust of cool wind made us both shiver. Time had passed on quickly when we were talking. The sun had set and the trail was brightened only by a line of light posts. Much to my dismay, I saw Damon and Elena make a beeline for the woods.

"Seriously?" I breathed, struggling to catch up in my wedges.

Bonnie shot me a dirty look and I kept more of my complaints to myself. We kept a considerable distance away from Damon and Elena since we didn't want to alert the vampire of our locations, but our idea for discretion went out the window when a shriek broke the silence. I found myself sprinting forward and the sight in front of us made me gasp in shock. The blonde girl - Amber - had been thrown to the ground, knocked out by the force of his shove. A deep bite mark was etched into her neck, breaking skin. He was crouching in front of her with his demonic face - eyes bloodshot red and skin deathly pale. Smears of blood were dripping down his chin from his feeding, his fangs long and bared.

_"Stefan?" _Elena cried out in disbelief.

Damon pushed her to my arms, giving me a single glance to hold her and walking warily toward his younger brother. I did so and to my surprise, Elena didn't struggle in my arms. She clung to my side and eyed Amber's unconscious body with worry. "Stefan, come on. Get control over it! Get through the hunger-"

We jumped when Stefan suddenly got a secure hold on Damon and threw him against a tree, a sharp squeal leaving Elena's mouth. "Stop it!" My friend yelled as Damon got to his feet. Before either one of us could do anything, the younger Salvatore fell to his knees. He gave out a shout of pain. I could literally feel the small amounts of power leaving Bonnie's body as she used it to inflict some sort of pain for the vampire. It was the same thing Sheila had done to Damon and the others quickly caught on. We turned to her, dumbstruck. "B-Bonnie?" Elena whispered.

She blinked a few times in response, exhaling. It did the trick no matter how unorthodox it was for her to be on the offensive and I watched as realization fill his features. Stefan straighten up from the ground, his cloudy green eyes flickering to all four of us in horror of what he had done. "I-I am-" He couldn't put out the words to say.

"It's okay, Stefan," Damon murmured. "It's fine."

He met Elena's gaze with shame. In a blink of an eye, Stefan was gone and it didn't take long for Elizabeth to appear with a few police cars right on her trail. By that time, Amber had awoken and was already compelled by Damon to forget what happened between her and his younger brother. After a series of questions, Elizabeth wanted to make sure we didn't see anything suspicious before she allowed us to leave. Bonnie and I shared a quick hug as a goodbye before I walked away from the two girls, catching the pleading stare Elena was shooting me when we had walked back to the Founder's Hall. She wanted some time alone with Bonnie.

Finally alone, I was content enough with calling another cab to drive me home when a hand clamped down my shoulder. I nearly screamed bloody murder until I recognized her face. "Anna!" I hissed, immediately scooting away from her touch. She was dressed up with a thin pale gown, her straight brown hair styled to the side. "Are you planning to give me a heart attack?"

The corners of her pink lips tugged upward in a sly smile. "Maybe. Come with me, Char. We have a lot to talk about."

Without asking my permission, she grabbed my hand and pulled me along. Annabelle was ignorantly motivating me to use my powers on her just to get back home in peace. I really wanted to sleep again but decided to humor her. I was confused as to why we appeared in front of Damon after a few turns to an empty hallway. His blue eyes narrowed at her hold on my arm and Annabelle immediately backed off, feigning surrender with a smirk. "We're here," she grinned.

"I have to admit," he began with a skeptical frown. "This is getting pretty freaky. Are you stalking me?"

Annabelle rolled her eyes. "Relax, Damon. We're only here to talk."

"We?" I repeated in exasperation.

Damon and I made a face at Pearl's arrival. I didn't know her at all - nor did I want to and Damon was anything but civil towards the woman who punctured his eyeballs with only her fingers. "I don't know about you," he looked at me, "but I'm not in the mood for whatever this is. I'm tired and it's been a very, _very_ bad day."

I mumbled, "Agreed, and I'm not even a vampire."

Pearl ignored what we said with a placid look and went straight to business. Her voice was rather cold, unfeeling. "I heard from my daughter that you're looking for something in particular - something I stole from Johnathan Gilbert."

"So?" Damon snorted.

Annabelle snapped, "We have it with us."

"Damon, is this _something_ you chose to keep from me too, hmm-"

He abruptly covered my mouth with his large hand. "Shush, sweetie." Ignoring my outraged expression, he stared at Pearl with an arched eyebrow. "Okay, I'll bite. What's up?"

She handed him something metal and old while Annabelle crossed her arms on her chest, expecting. "Set your eyes on this," Pushing aside my annoyance, I smacked his hand away with a quiet growl and leaned closer to study it. It was rough against my fingers, its bronze cover dented and scratched through the years it endured.

Damon let out a sarcastic laugh. "This is it? You shouldn't have."

"It's a pocket watch," I pointed out, glancing up at the mother and daughter duo in dubiety. "I'm not impressed."

"At first, yes. It appears to be that way, but that is not what I took and I was terribly mistaken." Pearl explained with a hint of bitterness, "The night they took us in eighteen sixty-four, I was standing beside Johnathan Gilbert. I saw its stile point to me when they began to _purify_ their beloved town of us demons."

That shut us up for a moment until Damon asked, "What does it do?"

"Well, Johnathan was very animated and eloquent with his inventions. The watch's stile seems to be attracted to our vampire elements."

"You mean it's something to track vampires?" I translated in shock. "What is it then?"

"We don't know," Annabelle replied, watching us warily, "but it's yours now. We're giving it to you."

"At what cost?"

"Free."

The blue-eyed vampire scoffed. "Like we're gonna believe that."

Pearl shook her head, taking her daughter's hand. "We reached a decision. We both want to stay in Mystic Falls in tranquility and that cannot be accomplished if we are at some sort of blows. You chose not to trust us and for that I cannot blame you - either of you. Annabelle and I are trying to make amends."

Her daughter nodded, meeting my eyes as she said, "Consider this an apology from me and my mother."

_For everything_, I added silently in my head. _For Sheila's death._

My hand reached out for the pendant, taking in the comfort it offered. I wasn't certain on accepting her makeshift of apology, but for now I'd settle for it. Damon was hesitant too but I pushed him forward impatiently. I was dead on my feet and all I wanted was to get back home, the bed calling my name miles from there. "That's the closest sorry we'll get from them, Damon. Let's just take it and go-"

"Char, wait."

I glanced at Pearl, surprised and cautious. That was the first time she acknowledged me by my nickname - or at all, for a matter of fact. "Er, what?"

Her dark eyes zeroed on my neck. "I must ask, where did you get that necklace?"

"A friend." I answered snippily. "Why?"

"It's interesting, that's all," she murmured. "I'm sure you'll be curious to know that another girl had the same exact one a century and a half ago."

Damon suddenly tugged on my arm. He looked nervous for some reason - like a child who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar - but I shrugged him away, my eyes narrowing at Pearl. Annabelle didn't seem to know what her mother was talking about either and wore an equally confused face. "Oh, really? And who was she?"

"I'm surprised the Salvatore brothers haven't uttered a word about it. They were familiar with her as much as I was, even more so." Pearl avoided Damon's glare. "Her name was Katherine. That piece of jewelry you are wearing belonged to her despite having its supply of vervain. Your friend must have been quite close with her to have been able to take her most prized possession."

I shot her a glare, not really knowing how to feel about the news. Damon and Stefan knew and they didn't tell me. What else did they decide to leave out that involved the Bennetts and myself? "Well," I began snarkily, "not anymore." She shrugged in reply, obviously amused, before she disappeared with her daughter, leaving Damon to face the rest of my late reactions alone. Pearl may have wanted peace to exist between us, but as a socialite of the eighteen hundreds, it was only natural that she also wanted the last word.

Meeting his light blue eyes, I snorted unbelievably. "So . . . this was hers, huh?"

Damon made a face, somewhat guilty. "Yeah. Um, even if she's not here, she has this _annoying_ habit of biting me in the ass."

"I think that comes along with knowing you personally, not just Katherine." Without another word, I left for home.

* * *

-The New World-

1025

The view of the morning was peaceful and calming, very much needed at my troubled state. I welcomed the sun as it peaked over the horizon. It granted me small comfort in its light and warmth. The slight chill of last night lingered but it did not affect me at my bundled state. When Rebekah had returned in a bloodied dress and tangled hair much to my horror, she made it her duty to watch over me carefully, too gingerly for my liking, as if she were afraid I would break at one touch. Immediately at the sight of a tiny shiver, she had wrapped me in layers of wool and blankets. I leaned back against the stone wall of the house I now knew as my temporary home. Stubbornness had played a part when I refused to go inside at her offer since she too declined to answer my questions.

I did not know what had happened between her brothers and the red-headed visitors or what she discovered of Matthias, if there was even anything to find out. What of Yvonne? Her death was untimely and as horrid as she was, she did not deserve a violent end. I was ashamed that I felt so envious towards the girl and my unstable relationship with the handsome brunette appeared very petty today than it had yesterday. It frustrated me to no end that Rebekah chose now of all days to stay silent like Elijah and Henrik. To make up for it, she allowed me to stay outside and sulk but from the scolding glance she gave me earlier, Rebekah would not let me stay outside for long.

As I plotted pathetically to make my escape, something caught my eye a good distance away and I was startled at the sight in front of me. A group of four men in the strangest clothing emerged from the forest in wide, confident strides toward Lilly and Haldor's home. One of them seemed hauntingly familiar with dark curly locks that ran down to the small of his back and unusual light hazel eyes. He was an exotic vision with his very tan skin yet short height and lean build. Was this Niklaus' calvary? More demons dwelling in my village, hiding behind a human face? I inched away and tried to conceal myself from their curious eyes as they neared.

Flinching when I heard the door open, I turned to see Rebekah return with a small smile. "Have you come to tell me what I want to know?" was the first thing I blurted aloud.

Rebekah retorted, "Have you finished pouting?"

I mumbled, filled with contrition, "I am sorry if I seem spoiled but is that not why you brought me last night?"

"No," she answered with a small frown.

She changed into something more comfortable for home, clean and fresh. It smelled like lilies and crisp perfume from afar and I remembered the fragrant oils she had informed me of from her many travels. Bringing the dirtied sleeve of my green dress, I gave it a sniff. Under the heavy stench of earth and sweat was the lingering scent of fruit - a peculiar fruit Rebekah named as coconut. She noticed the men - the sun-kissed one more than the others, and quickly took my hand, leading me inside despite my quiet protests. We found ourselves away from the entrance and at the back of the house where clothes were washed and dried.

"I had planned for you to come to have a night of merriment. Unfortunately, fate will not allow you even that for all the troubles it threw your way."

"Being a servant was hard I must admit, but it was not a harsh life."

"That is not what I meant," she snapped, clearly frustrated at my befuddlement. Rebekah bit into her lip when she saw my startled look and it was noticable that she was unsure on what to utter next. I gave her a moment to collect her thoughts through her haze of chargin. It was strange that she appeared nostalgic, even desperate to say the words. "Heidi," she began hesitantly, "there are things I long to tell you - things of your origins and of my family. I had thought after the feast Elijah and Henrik would finally see what I do, but to my disappointment, it has only made them much more resolved at keeping you in the dark-"

"He promised,"

"Only until Mikael is gone will Elijah tell you what you desire. He has convinced Henrik to do the same."

I almost begged, "Then tell me now, please. Who will know when it is safe, when Mikael will make his appearance or when he will leave? If I can help or at least, _defend_ myself, you must humor my curiosity." If Rebekah were to be the one to shed light in my way, then I would gladly keep away from the witch despite my gut telling me not to. As far as I knew, it was the blonde beside me that held my trust, not Ayana. "If your wish is the same as mine, then fulfill it."

Rebekah paused, her angelic face twisted into a pain I could not understand. Her determined sentences flooded from her pink lips. "Oh, I wish I could, Heidi. What I desire most in these years is to have my friend return to me, to tell me the assurances she had before, but I cannot. I can only speak of my family's past but I know that is not your main concern."

"Then I will listen to your history. I cannot afford to be dainty."

"It is not as simple." She let out a groan, put out. "Irony is the very base of our friendship and you will not accept what I will say for I am an abomination of nature."

"That does not matter," I murmured, not fighting the urge to comfort her.

"Yes, it does," Rebekah corrected softly. "How much easier for you to understand if you were to hear the story from a witch, a nature's servant with high wisdom and caliber? There is no doubt that you would take her words with utmost ease for it is their duty to help the likes of you. It is our curse over these years for you are to learn from a witch, not from _me_." She shook her head. "You are somewhat partial to them."

"A witch?" How was I to be biased to those I did not know? When I recalled the warmth I felt at Ayana's single touch, it made me think about a person of reliance and integrity and it forced me to remember my parents. Aside from Aunt Sylvia and Uncle Johan, they were honest people. My mother and father showed compassion to others as Magdalene and Tatia did. Perhaps that was what drew me to Tatia in the first place. She reminded me of my mother. Pushing my sadness aside, I asked, "Did I hear you correctly?"

Rebekah mistook my surprise and explained, "You were accused of false claims of witchcraft in this village, yes, but they do exist. They are the workers of nature with the burden to keep the balance maintained in the earth. They particularly dislike those of my kind, those who cheat death so freely."

Following on my impulse, I handed her Ayana's note. "What of this?"

For some reason, I knew Ayana would not approve of my naive gesture but then again, I did what she had said. I had hidden it from the moment I woke in my room alone. It seemed that Niklaus did not wait for me to wake, nor did I want him too. I did not fear him as I had before, but I felt something around his commanding presence. I was _off_ every time I was near the blond, hopelessly trying to remember something that was forcibly taken away from me. Perhaps a memory?

She shot me a questioning glance and I gestured for her to read it. Ayana's scribbles wrote the words: _Blood gives their power yet holds their undoing. _"What is the meaning of this?"

My voice dropped to a hushed whisper. "A witch in the name of Ayana came to me last night. She offered me what you cannot."

"Were you so quick to believe her lies?" Rebekah pointed out a bit harshly, a hint of a jealous tone in her voice, "Did I not say earlier that you are inclined to favor witches above any? She may be in league with Mikael-"

"And did you not also say that it is a curse for the two of us? If I am fated to scorn the sayings of an immortal regarding what I am and to hang on to the words of a witch, is this not what we both want? I am quite aware of the risks and I know it is worth it." I replied sternly, surprising both Rebekah and myself at my courageous response.

"Are you to go alone?" At my guilty expression alone, Rebekah warned, "Henrik will not approve of this, Heidi. He will kill me if you are struck any way with ill intent. If not my youngest brother, then my oldest one will certainly finish the deed."

I scowled. "Do not jest in such a way. They care for you deeply."

Sighing, she smirked, "As they do for you."

Under the seriousness of our situation, my cheeks heated up in unbearable warmth. "R-Rebekah-"

"I had told you before. Do not act so insecure. Things are not as they seem with our circumstances."

"All the more reason for me to see Ayana." She opened her mouth to argue when I interjected with desperation, "Niklaus was right. I cannot be ignorant any longer and I will waver no more. If I must be aware of everything before today is over, then I shall."

"It is not safe," she reminded me weakly.

"I do not know what you meant by acknowledging the return of your friend," I started, disregarding her caution. Fear was building inside of me - the terror of the danger and of the unknown, especially dealing with the supernatural - but I didn't want to run anymore. I could not hide. "But I notice you are as frantic as I am. You _want_ me to know. This is the only way."

"And where is this Ayana?"

"Somewhere," I said vaguely as I busied myself with the table to avoid her accusing gaze, "but I will find her. Do not doubt that."

Rebekah pressed her lips as she thought. I could only hope that her desire for her supposed friend would give her the push to support me. To my relief, she nodded. "May my brothers forgive me, but I will lend you the assistance you need. I must point out though, today is not the smartest choice to sneak out. Others have arrived from afar."

"The four of them?"

"There are more in the forest. I can hear them. Perhaps if you tried sensing them . . ." She sighed when I shook my head almost instantly, pausing to listen. Rebekah pushed me to our room and closed the door shut. Her voice was still a murmur as she said, "Adding to Mikael's company, we will be needing a distraction."

I took the note from her for Ayana had already given us the answer. "Blood." Rebekah glanced down at my wrist forebadingly. "_My_ blood."


	19. Mortal Wounds Of The Heart

_Chardonnay gives out more about her mother, part model and part drunk, and it's more on **emotional** stuff for this update and the next, not that much action yet for her. This is also Heidi's escape. I'm not sure but the last update and this one seem like filler chapters. It'll get more interesting, I promise! Oh, and on behalf of my friend - a local East sider - who just LOVES hybrid Tyler, expect a few more moments between Char and Tyler. Don't be afraid to comment at all! I heart you my loyal readers! L-O-V-E yoooouu! Thank you for reading this far! Thank you for the review/s! Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Mortal Wounds Of The Heart**

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2010

My morning was somewhat eventful. Caroline's Miss Mystic Falls buzz didn't fade away overnight much to my exasperation. Winslow and I had to force her to keep her diadem and her banner at home when she nurtured the ridiculous idea to wear them at school, but it didn't bring my second cousin down. She was still positively glowing during each class we had together and I wasn't the only one who noticed. Matt and Bonnie were slightly tortured by the beams of her cheerful smiles, but we could all agree that we were happy for Caroline's accomplishment.

It was her dream to be Miss Mystic Falls since she was a child like most of the pretty females of our family tree, the legacy of the Forbes family, one which Elizabeth didn't pursue. _Neither did I, it seems . . ._ Soaking up the attention, she sauntered to the classrooms, especially in the cafeteria where all hell broke loose with her admirers congratulating her, in an aura of achievement and superiority.

When school was finally over, I was dreading to check on my phone. It had been vibrating against the pocket of my dark blue jeans all morning and I was forced by Caroline to turn it off unless I wanted my teacher to confiscate it. A soft melody tuned happily when I pressed the power button. In thick highlighted letters, it claimed my attention as it glowed tauntingly against the rest of my colored shortcut apps - black against the rest of the rainbow. It was hard to ignore; _Missed Calls: 9_.

Clicking on the phone tab, I grimaced at the name of the persistent caller - _John_. It sucked that I was avoiding him and feeling guilty about doing so at the same time. He had called before school began but I didn't have the guts to answer it, not yet anyways. "Delete history," I mumbled as I pressed my thumb to the screen. Even if we didn't exchange many words, it made me remember things I didn't want to recall. It brought up a lot of discordant emotions toward my mom and dad; from loving them as any child would with their parents, but hating them for what they refused to do - _being_ there for their own children.

Then again, as much I disliked them, I had admitted to myself that I could never abhor them. I still had to tell Winslow about John's appearance, if he didn't know about it already, but coincidentally enough, Winslow had missed the pageant to Caroline's indignation when he spent all that afternoon making out with Nicole Armstong. It was official. They were Mystic Falls High new sophomore couple and they were gaining a lot of attention, considering Winslow was also the very popular Caroline's distant relative.

The other pair I was given the so-called honor in discovering was Jeremy and Annabelle. I had spotted them across the courtyard before homeroom started and I met Annabelle's gaze. Through the week, a lot of things had happened between us which we accused the other for, particularly now that Pearl told me about Katherine's choker - Katherine being the girl she despised - but Annabelle surprised me by offering a smile. It was her way of strengthening the fact that we had some sort of treaty to live in peace around each other.

No more fighting about releasing entrapped mothers and girlfriends, no more blame to give about who died for who, and no more drama to push around. _This was it for the two of us._ If I wasn't the type of girl who could hold a meaty grudge over someone's head for quite a while, Annabelle and I could've been compatible friends, even if we had different views on the value of family.

To my embarrassment, I had found myself smiling back before heading off to class, startled at the way I responded. I wanted to believe she was good for Jeremy who I had grown to like since he was, after all, Elena's younger brother, but I couldn't forget that she was a vampire. I wasn't sure if he was aware of their existence or not because I didn't get much time to talk to him for a few days, and I could only wish that Annabelle didn't hurt Jeremy. It wasn't my business to tell them who to date - that fell to Elena's hands - when it was so obvious that they liked each other.

With hope, I had guessed that was the end of the excitement for today, but I spoke too soon. Yet again. I had to stop expecting the unaffordable in Mystic Falls. Alaric stopped me on my way to Caroline's car and guided me to the side of the building, away from wandering stares of my classmates. "Hey, Char. We need to talk."

"What up, Ric?" Strangely enough, I had picked up on his nickname faster than Damon could. He shot me a disapproving look and I shrugged nonchalantly. What did Alaric really expect from me? We had teamed up days before with Elena and Damon to kill a bunch of tomb vampires - even if Elena and I didn't actually kill anyone - but still, that had to count as building some kind of friendship between us, teacher or not.

He seemed sheepish. "Damon and I are gonna check out an apartment in Grove Hill."

I shuffled on my feet, puzzled. "Er, you guys have some freaky bromance going on, moving in or something?"

"It's Isobel," he muttered, cringing at the thought of even staying over at Damon's. I couldn't blame him honestly. The last time I slept over the Salvatore Boarding House, I realized with much disturbance that Damon had been watching me sleep for an hour or so. _What a creep._ I mirrored the frown that grew on his face so suddenly, my drive to tease him going dry. "I don't know what Elena told you but there's a high chance that her biological mom is my wife. She was missing for two years and it was kind of the reason I moved here."

"Oh," I knew about Elena's adoption when she spilled the beans days ago, but I never knew about Alaric's wife, or that she was missing. "Does that mean she's a-"

"Vampire?" Alaric finished for me with a bitter tone. "Yeah, I guess she is."

Nodding, I asked quietly, "So what's this got to do with me?"

"Well I had a friend of mine track John Gilbert's phone records and-"

I gaped in surprise. "You did _what_?"

Never in my seventeen years would I have thought to have this kind of conversation with a history teacher of mine, especially a mid-thirty year old adult who was supposed to warn me away from doing such things. Not that I was criticizing him. Actually, I found it cool he had friends like I did - a bit hypocritical - but an eye-opener that he was different. Then I remembered that he was a vampire hunter and all the hope I had for a retro parental figure went down the drain. Under my disappointment, I grew worried. John had called my number repeatedly this morning. If Alaric kept watch over his phone records, wouldn't he have seen my number since Damon gave it to him, without permission I might add?

With a sigh, Alaric buried his hands in his jacket pocket. Smudges of dark circles were gathering under his eyes and faint thin lines grew more pronounced on his forehead when his eyebrows furrowed together in all seriousness. "It's important, Char. We already know that John knew Isobel before. We're just trying to learn if Isobel's in town. He's been getting calls from a new number in Grove Hill and after a bit of researching, I got an address."

Thinking that my godfather was in contact with a vampire - Elena's mother and Alaric's deceased wife of all people, it made me frown again. Did I really know John at all, the godfather who had taken cared of Winslow and I during our childhoods? It was inadequate to think I didn't since he was supposed to be my mother's best friend when she once lived in Mystic Falls, disregarding the age difference. "A possible vampire sighting," I clarified, more for my sake than his. "Do you need me for this? Why not take Stefan with you guys?"

"He's locked in the basement. Elena and Damon are trying to steer him back into his animal diet, er, more Elena's doing and less Damon's."

"Then why _me_?"

Alaric shrugged, grumpy at what he was admitting, "Considering I tried to kill Damon and he already killed me, we don't exactly trust each other at the moment. The only person we both rely on that can actually _help_, besides Stefan, is you."

"He killed you?" I echoed in disbelief.

"Relax, I had my ring on," Alaric uncovered his hand to show me the ring on his forefinger, similar to that of John's. A crest of silver was melted within the black stone in the middle, rectangular and polished. "I normally don't involve one of my history students with this, but Damon was insistent and I needed his help." He unexpectedly looked uncomfortable, failing miserably to act nonchalant as he asked, "Er, are you guys . . ?"

My eyes widened at his question. "What? Me and Damon? No way. No. That's not even funny how wrong we are for each other. _No._ We're - ugh, I don't even know what we are. Questionable companions?" When he raised an eyebrow at my reaction, I assured him hastily, "It wouldn't work between us. I can't even imagine that, Ric. Besides, he was pining for Katherine for more than a century and now he's moving on, er, kind of." I wasn't sure if telling Alaric about Damon's feelings for Elena was a smart thing to do so I kept my mouth shut about that.

"You'll help?"

Biting my lip, I answered cautiously, "Might as well." It was easy to notice the of relief on his face. I texted Caroline and Winslow as I slid into his beat-up old car which was viewed as a classic hunk of metal with four wheels for men his age.

There were a few compartments in his car that I noticed straightaway and I assumed they were stocked with stakes and anti-vampire weapons. The temptation was there but I didn't make a move to touch them. I highly doubted that Alaric would let me anyways. Caroline and Winslow asked me where I was going but I vaguely replied that I was heading off to Stefan's with Elena. That had stopped their inquiries every easily since Caroline was still accepting congratulations and Winslow was most likely sucking face with Nicole.

Alaric and I drove in silence after he told me we would be meeting Damon there, letting the static and the radio fill the air of country rock music. It wasn't long until Alaric tried to make a conversation with me and it wasn't one I was ecstatic to talk about. "There was also something that I found in John's records," he started slowly, unsure on how to bring up the subject. "It kinda struck me as weird as to why he would be calling you this morning, Char. Seven times was it?"

"Nine times," I corrected with dry humor and bit my lip when he shot me a look at the corner of my eye. Sparing him a wary glance, I turned back to the window to watch the line of houses pass by. It wouldn't take a while to reach the apartment when he signaled his car to the direction of the parking spaces. The modern apartment building was just ahead, taking two blocks of space from the street. "Did you tell Damon?"

"No, he'd kill you," Alaric remarked tightly. "I mean, I know you're not working for John but I had a feeling you met him before during the pageant. Why else would he be calling his niece's friend? And those taunts? How do you know him?"

"God-daughter," I muttered out wearily, making the decision to explain cursorily. "John's my godfather as well as Winnie's."

He was pretty shocked at what I revealed to him. His voice was amusingly high as Alaric processed the information with clear difficulty. "G-Godfather? How? I thought you lived in New York."

"John was close with my mom at a young age."

"Beatrice Archer, right?" He questioned falteringly.

I nodded. "They knew each other in high school even if she was older than him by two years or more."

"Who else knows?"

"Stefan, but that's it really. You won't tell?"

Alaric chose his words carefully. "It's not something to be ashamed about. You can't choose who your godfathers are."

Fiddling with my phone in my hands and feeling a steady ache grow in my chest, I continued rather sorely, "John told me after my mother graduated from high school, she decided to make it big alone. She left Mystic Falls for Boston, Massachusetts where she met my father, William Randolph Blackburn the third." A bitter laugh left my lips as I remembered my horrid example of a father. "I suppose my parents decided to skip a generation of having another William in the family, thank God, but the funny thing is, their initials are the same . . ."

"Are you okay?" He asked softly when I didn't say anything else, noticing the change in my mood. He had overcame his surprise a bit quickly for me to notice at all.

I brought myself out of my daze and nodded with a hint of humiliation. After almost a decade of not having anyone but Winslow to talk to, I didn't ever imagine breaking down about my parents in front of my history teacher. What was it about Alaric that made me feel _safe_, like a father would to his child? Despite pushing back my strife, I found myself confessing, "It's John's fault. Seeing him again, it reminds me of life outside of Mystic Falls where witches and vampires don't exist."

"Don't forget vampire hunters," he grumbled as he decided to humor me.

A scoff escaped from me. "Or mysterious walking reincarnations of nature. As messed up as it sounds, I prefer this life than the one in New York. There's a lot to discover here."

Alaric looked concerned, even guilty. "Was it that bad?"

"Somewhat."

"I won't tell." It was my turn to be surprised when he added, "I'm sorry, Char."

My eyes flickered to him inquiringly. The amount of remorse and regret I saw in his dark eyes and the stiff way he slanted against the steering wheel like a man who couldn't live himself, I began to get suspicious. Who really was Alaric Saltzman? What was up with his hot and cold technique during the first few days we met? It was like Alaric was apologizing for so much more than just listening to the sob story of one of his history students. _But what would that be?_

Fed up with the abstruseness that seemed to fog each nook and cranny in Mystic Falls, I discarded any anxiety over his unconventional behavior. I had enough to deal with without adding the vampire hunter to the mix. "It wasn't your fault," I replied curtly, getting out of the car when Damon's sports car came into view at the rear mirror. Deciding to forget that the past ten minutes never happened, I ridiculed the black-haired vampire as he drew closer. "I thought that being past a hundred and sixty four years in age would've rendered babysitters useless."

"Hmm, you know you can't get enough of me, sweetie," he retorted lazily, sauntering up to us with all his badass glory. I could tell he had a thing for black leather jackets. Behind me, I heard Alaric gear up with his wooden defenses.

"As your referee?" I pressed. "You need to learn to play nice or I'm bringing out the red card."

"Peace keeper is more like it," he suggested. "Shall we? I'd hate to leave my baby brother and his one true love alone in the house for that long, especially in the dark basement. Who knows what'll happen without their very handsome chaperone?"

I grimaced when he wiggled his eyebrows depravedly, refusing to even think about Elena and Stefan doing their own private business indoors. "Um, ew. That's going to be hard to get out of my head. I thought vampires couldn't, er, reproduce."

"Oh, didn't you hear, Char?" Damon smirked. "We're a _very_ hopeful bunch."

Alaric cleared his throat, aggravated for some reason, and gestured for us to hurry up the steps. In his hand I saw a crumpled sheet of paper with his familiar messy handwriting. We followed him to a flight of stairs and a few turns until he stopped in front of a freshly painted dark blue door, one of many in the pathway. "I think this was the one right here. Says here it's already been paid for in advance for three months."

Damon sighed, "Here's where we might run into a problem. There's a fifty percent chance I'll be able to go in, fifty percent - er, not really."

"I like those odds," I murmured, ignoring his pointed look.

"How does that work anyways?" Alaric asked, curious. "You have to be invited all the time in any home or you can't enter?"

"By the owner. It gets kinda shady with short-term rentals or hotel rooms, but I get along fine." He grinned at my disappointed pout. "You wouldn't believe the kind of situations I went through the past century and a half. People get irritatingly creative in this area."

Alaric reached for the knob, pausing to warn, "Just don't kill anyone, Damon. Got it?"

"So you're basically saying you called me to come and got me to drive all the way out here to say hello?"

I snorted, pushing past him, "You're one to talk. You had no problem calling me here after school."

He patted my shoulder in mocking comfort, his face set on fake sympathy. "I think you've forgotten in that lovely little head of yours that we're still on the same team - curtesy of yours truly - and do you see anyone with freaky nature powers at hand? Um, nope."

"So you just wanted a witch?"

"Sweetie, you're not a witch. Get that through your skull." He looked thoughtful. "Plus, I don't think Bonnie's gonna be any fun around, especially after the tomb thing. Witches, bitter little things, always forgetting the bigger picture."

"There _was_ no bigger picture. Sheila's death pretty much made me forget anything," I muttered, a bit provoked when Damon rolled his eyes in reply. He seemed tired of hearing the same excuse from me. To be honest, I was as well but I couldn't exactly push it away like it was nothing. Looking deeper into the small complex and seeing nothing special but a basic place with a small living room, I made past the door with Alaric. I fought the urge to slam the door in front of Damon, but it was an enticing idea to leave him outside despite the risks of getting attacked here.

"Looks like no one's home." Alaric noted out loud.

I glanced behind me to see Damon entering with ease. "Yep. No problem here." The vampire trailed off to check the kitchen while I stuck to the vampire hunter and searched the living room. _What would John's friend be doing here? _Eyeing a mug of slight warm coffee, I inched nearer to the low wooden coffee table when Damon called from the kitchen, "Uh, guys. I spy with my eye something plastic, plenty, and extra bloody."

"Blood bags?" I guessed weakly, flinching when something crashed against the carpet. A snarl alerted me of someone's presence and the wind shifted behind me from movement.

I reacted too slow but Alaric jumped in just in time, his stake digging past the vampire's flesh and into bone. From the looks of it, the man looked younger than Damon but definitely older than a high school student. He ripped it out of his chest with a furious hiss and the wooden pike clattered to the floor. The vampire went to attack Alaric, who was ready to retaliate, when I sent a gust of wind against him, watching him stagger a few feet away until his back hit against the wall. The shelves trembled at the force of the gale and a few things dropped to the floor, successfully making a mess at the corner of the apartment.

Alaric rushed to restrain him but Damon beat him to it, shooting him an amused glance. "And _you're_ warning _me_ of not killing anybody?" Before Alaric could respond, Damon turned to the vampire who stopped struggling in his hold. "Hey, you look familiar . . . I know you. Henry?"

The man - Henry - gazed at him in realization. "Damon? Sir, what are you doing here?"

I was probably gaping to have made Damon laugh. "Sir?" I repeated incredulously.

"You forget. I happened to be a gentleman of high prestige." I swear I thought I saw his head get an inch bigger.

"Hmm, that makes me wonder where all _that_ went," I mumbled as I collapsed on the couch in an abrupt manner. A slightly tense Alaric sat at the sofa's arm beside me, keeping his stake at the ready and staring at Henry with a guarded expression.

"What are you doing here?" Henry repeated, more disquisitive than demanding. "I did not see you in the tomb, sir." He glanced at us a little prudently, tiny black veins receding from sight again. "And I don't know the two of you humans. Forgive me. I'm still getting the hang of the hunger."

"As long as you keep your hands to yourself," Alaric addressed the vampire with careful thought and seemed pleased when Henry nodded understandably.

Damon stared him down. "We're looking for John," he lied smoothly.

"John Gilbert?" Henry scrutinized the three of us with a hint of skepticism. "How do you know of him?"

"We're friends," Damon shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal but the way he said it was obviously sarcastic. Alaric and I exchanged meaningful glances. I was thankful he agreed to keep my relation to John a secret. "I've known him for years. What about you?"

He seemed relaxed, buying the lie. "He's been the one helping me once I got out of that tomb."

"How?" Alaric questioned.

"Adapting to the new world, I mean. The eighteen hundreds is incomparable to today. Never would I have imagined all of this to be possible - cars, computers, the internet. A lot of things have changed." Henry suddenly glanced at me interestedly and my companions followed his gaze, frowning in unison. I refused to show any reaction, a blush or a skip of the heart, knowing full well the vampires would take notice. Though I had to admit, it was flagrantly noticable I was the first female he had seen in a long while that wasn't all skin and bones from starvation. It was only natural he'd be analytical about this century's opposite sex. "He helped me."

"You live alone?"

Damon shot Alaric an I-don't-want-to-stay-here-all-day look. "That's his very passive-agressive way of asking if you know a woman named Isobel."

"Isobel? Uh, no. I don't think so." Henry ran his fingers through his dark hair. "I only know John. He's the only one who comes here, showing me the ropes on how to use those kitchen appliances and how to use the washing machine for clothes. Life seems easier more than a century later after you die. Go figure."

"I see John's been teaching you about humor," I pointed out with a slight scowl, unable to stop my memories as a kid from getting into my head. All those times that John was there for Winslow and I, it made my stomach uneasy to accept that it wasn't that way anymore. I wouldn't in a million years admit that I had missed John around when I was in New York and to hear that he was looking out for someone else recently, I was comically jealous.

Alaric interjected, "So what else do you do, Henry?"

"Just keeping an eye on the others from the tomb and that's it really. They're still angry about the Founding Families attempting to burn them under the church, so they most likely want revenge." At our alarmed looks, he added hurriedly, "_I'm_ cool though. I'm totally okay with moving on from that."

"What does John want with them?"

Henry shrugged. "He wants to make sure they don't do anything drastic or get into trouble. He's looking out for the town."

"How considerate," I found myself saying rather bitingly, jumping in my spot when the phone rang.

"Oh, that's probably him right now."

Before Henry could reach for it, Damon snatched it out of his way, his blue eyes scanning the screen. "Ooh. Johnny boy _is_ calling." He turned to Alaric with a raised eyebrow, challenging him to say otherwise. "Am I gonna answer this?"

I didn't understand what it meant when Alaric shook his head as a no until Henry suddenly dashed out of his seat. He had also noticed their silent discussion and reacted on what he knew, attacking Alaric. I wasn't sure why he didn't go for me, the obvious easier kill. With amazing speed, Damon had a lock around his arms, keeping him from running away when Alaric stabbed him with a stake with one unyielding swipe. He let out a spluttering gasp, going through the same graying phase as the others before him - skin dry and gray with thin blackened veins - as he died in Damon's arms.

To my irritation, the blue-eyed vampire took one glance at Henry's stiff corpse and dropped him on the living room floor, patting his clothes of dust. "Well, that's done with."

"What the hell?" I demanded, indignant. I whirled at my history teacher. "Aren't you the one who just said not to kill anyone a few minutes ago?"

"It had to be done," Alaric reasoned, looking down at Henry. "He wasn't in control."

I shot up from my seat. "He was still learning!"

"Char, look," Damon began in annoyance, "he's with John. Doesn't matter if he's ignorant of whatever the hell his best friend is doing, but Henry is a loose end. I particularly like mine tied if you're wondering. Who do you think John's gonna use for his dirty work? What's Henry going to do next, huh? Threaten Caroline? Hurt Bonnie? Go after your honey bear?"

"He wouldn't do that to Winnie," I argued. Then quickly, I covered my slip, "He wouldn't harm Elena's friends."

"It's _John_. Doesn't matter if he's Elena's uncle. Who the hell knows what he's planning?" Damon dragged Henry's body away to the corner. "Let's check this place and go already. Maybe if we get lucky, we'll find Johnny boy's diary here somewhere."

Catching the encouraging expression Alaric gave me at the other side of the living room, I kept my disagreements to myself and stormed into the bedroom. "Ugh, whatever. Do what you want!"

I wanted to help look for any links that connected my godfather and Isobel together, but seeing Henry's things all over the place, I felt a surge of guilt and so much frustration at one time. Henry had been alone here, a feeling I grew acquainted with over the years, and I refused to believe that the man who watched over me was _that_ far gone. He was secretive, yes, but he wasn't cruel or malicious. John was my godfather for Pete's sake, my mother's best friend and my only link to how she was before when she was sober. He wouldn't think of Henry as collateral damage, but a supernatural being who required assistance and company.

John had told me of their unusual friendship when I began to ask questions at the age of thirteen; why he kept coming over every week, why Mommy was locking herself in her bedroom, and why Daddy was never there. The only sounds coming from her locked refuge were the glasses of liquor knocking against each other and her soft weeping, but it wasn't always crying for her. She was quiet most of the time, reserved. In her bad nights, I could remember her drunken speeches of her regrets, of how she wasted her life, and how she just couldn't stand being in New York City.

Then in the morning when she was hungover, she would be shipped off to hair and makeup and come back looking like she was absolutely fine - as if the night before never happened, but my mom wasn't really _there_. She had given up on us once she realized we weren't enough to live for. _I wasn't enough._

"Char?"

Turning to the voice, I saw Alaric at the doorway, intrigued to why he looked worried. "What . . ?"

When he opened him mouth to say something, I sharply shook my head, glancing where Damon searched. He was always eavesdropping on conversations that weren't meant for him. If I was a vampire, I probably would've done the same thing. I didn't wait for Alaric's response and stood up from the bed, my hands reaching for the first thing they touched. To my dismay, it was an empty golden picture frame. It had yet to be filled with a single memory and that opportunity was taken away right in front of my eyes - by Alaric of all people. He had killed vampires before so why was this bothering me now?

_Damn it_, I thought as my heart began to throb painfully. When I felt his hand on my shoulder, I was contradictorily agitated at the amenity it gave. "I'm fine."

Alaric scoffed. "No, you're not."

_Why does he care? _Resolved, I pushed my comprehension to the back of my mind and slid out of his grasp. I met his gaze and mouthed, "Leave it." He seemed surprisingly reluctant to but respected my wish, leaving me alone again in the bedroom. _Focus._ If they wanted my help then I'd help, no matter how much it brought back the past, or how much it hurt.

* * *

-The New World-

1025

Rebekah held the silver knife over my open palm, equivocal with the idea of shedding blood onto sheet, particularly mine, but we both knew it was the safest way. She had informed me that the visitors were allies of her elder brothers alone, not of her. They would not listen to anyone but Niklaus, possibly Elijah, and we did not want them finding out about our contrivance. What would they do if they were to discover out scheme? I could not imagine it but at Rebekah's hesitancy, I knew it was not something to look forward to.

"Are you sure of this?"

"We must." I replied, biting my bottom lip. My instincts were telling me to use Ayana's note for assistance, trusting for something _unnatural _to occur once the blood met paper.

I was qualmish at knowing what was about to happen, but nodded determinedly at Rebekah. Biting back a small cry when the thin blade sliced through vulnerable flesh, I heard the blonde suck in a sharp breath. She did not cut too deep but just enough to draw an efficient amount of blood. Drops of thick scarlet fell from my hand and to Ayana's note in a languid manner, each noiseless splatter causing Rebekah to grimace in restraint. She had once told me that my blood was different compared to an average human, or a witch for that matter, but never how. I found myself wondering how it tasted for them.

With a sigh, I ignored the pain that throbbed in my palm and pressed a clean cloth to end its bleeding. "Is it complete?" I whispered, not daring to raise my voice.

"Perhaps Ayana, the witch, is a liar as well."

"You sound rather hopeful."

She shrugged gingerly. "Tis only a thought, Heidi. Forgive me if I do not appreciate having a witch appear at random to possibly ruin the few _stable_ factors we have here."

_Acknowledge it_, a voice called out to me. _It shall need . . . approval . . . to work._

"I-I accept." I murmured.

As the words left my lips, a spark suddenly erupted. We watched in morbid fascination as the paper lit up in blue flames that were not of my doing, its fresh cinders delicately floating to the air. An odd smell unexpectedly emerged from the ash, sending deviant frosty drafts into our lungs. Shivers ransacked my body, making me gasp in pleasant surprise, until it abruptly stopped. I knew Rebekah had the same reaction when she exhaled warily. "How . . . unpleasant."

Clutching my shawl closer, we shared questioning glances. _Is that all?_

The icy fire did not spread to the desk made of flammable wood and continued to burn Ayana's note in front of us greedily. Then out of the blue, Rebekah let out a sudden pained wheeze. I watched, startled, as she teetered backwards to slam herself against the wall. Shakily, she reached for her face which transformed to the monster that hid within her body, the color of blue in her eyes glowing threateningly as it was surrounded by lines of red. She looked ravenous when her hungered gaze met my terrified eyes.

"Go," Rebekah hissed, her fangs presenting themselves behind her lips. She clutched her stomach as if she was in horrible pain and snapped when I was frozen in consternation, _"Go!"_

An inhuman snarl echoed from outside the bedroom. In terror, I realized this was the effects of Ayana's spell somehow. It was causing them symptoms of severe hunger. _But how would that assist me at all?_

With one concerned glance at my fallen friend, I bolted out of room and sprinted for the back way. Chills crawled up my spine when another predatory growl erupted from the hall behind me, filling my head with frightening thoughts of _what if_. When I heard a scream from the distance, I crouched down against the wooden door. What had Ayana done? What had _I_ done? Focusing forward, I was allured to run and hide in the thickets of the forest where it appeared safer. It was a distance to reach, I had to admit, but I did not want to run back to the inside of Lilly's home where more immortals were sure to be waiting.

_Sense them_, was what Rebekah had suggested to me.

But I did not know how. _Trust your intuitions once again_, a voice instructed sternly.

Taking a deep breath, I concentrated on what they were - creatures of the dark, drinkers of human blood. Images of past attacks ran through my head and I found myself struggling to remember something - or some_one_ important. The rift between Elijah and I began that afternoon now that I looked back, but what else had slipped my mind? I could picture Uncle Johan, even Niklaus within the shaded memory, but who was the fourth person? When had this happened? The harder I pushed against the mental barrier, the harder it was to grasp even a piece of recognition for this person I had carelessly forgotten.

_Who is this? _Hearing another snarl, I shoved my curiosity aside for I knew better than to waste precious time. It was an overwhelming feeling at first, a paralyzing burst of emotion and power that crashed against my very skull, but not painful. Nevertheless, I found it to be an attainable achievement that left me breathless and gasping.

I could _feel_ the blur of bodies pacing in front of the entrance, their confusion and excitement washing off of them in choking waves. When it felt safe to cross, I made a dash of my life to make it to the edge of the forest. The only thing I could hear against the pounding rush of my heartbeat were my footsteps forcing through the blades of grass. I sagged against the side of a tree to catch my breath, pressing myself to the trunk to hide from view. Past the trees, my supposed sanctuary seemed ever sweeter until a sharp rustling of the air alerted me of someone's presence.

Following another tug of instinct, I ran to my left, further from the town and adequately closer to the field. _What field?_ I found myself asking. Not really knowing the answer, I returned my attention of the recognizable trail, dodging outstretched branches that were sure to whack my face if I did not move. A keen-edged stab of sorrow pierced into me when I continued to the mouth of the meadow. Something had taken place in the narrow pathway as I brushed my hand against a sapling, something sad. _Had I been here before?_

My issue with the mental barrier returned again and I had to force that problem away for now. I would sort out my confusion once I reached Ayana intact. _If I could find her, that is . . . _A shout somewhere nearby claimed my regard. They were closer than I had expected. Before I could move however, a hand clamped down on my mouth and an arm wrapped around my waist, pressing me close to a large body.

_A male_, I realized in distress. He muffled the shocked yelp that nearly spilled from my mouth and I immediately began to claw against the limbs that restrained me, unpleasant shudders passing my body as his haggard breath fogged against the back of my neck.

It did not take long for me to hear a feral growl erupt from his hard chest. He was an immortal, almost similar to that of Rebekah and Henrik. As the defense mechanism, my hands began to heat up with unbearable warmth. I knew he would heal, pushing aside the remorse of inflicting pain. The sleeves of my dress caught on fire as my very touch burned his hold mercilessly, my stomach turning at the nauseating smell of singed flesh. He let out a chipped yell and I whirled around, staggering back defensively.

It was the strange one that crouched in front of me; from the crowd I had seen earlier, he was the teenager with hazel eyes and dark glistening skin - an exotic boy indeed. He had followed me from Lilly's home. I avoided glancing away from his gaze for if my stare steered away, I would take an ogle at the sight of his bare sculptured chest. He did not dress as the others did, keeping content wth his half-naked appearance without shame. The boy was thirsty for blood it seemed, but peculiarly, he took one glance at me and paused.

Dread filled his beautiful blazing eyes before he impulsively disappeared into the thickets. His nails clawed the bark of a tree straight off, his way of releasing his disgruntlement when he fled. Although confused, I did not let the chance go to waste and made my way around the open field. _Smoke_, I recalled clearly in astonishment. I could remember spotting smoke from the distant horizon when I had ran away from . . . _Ran away from who?_

"Argh! _Aah!_" I let out in frustration, my head suddenly pounding in agonizing aches. By inadvertently stumbling into the stretched meadow, my consciousness was fighting against _it_. I demanded silently, _against what? What am I fighting?_ Turning to look at the empty field, I moaned as another round of afflicted throbs pierced through my brain. It impended to the point of excruciating. I bent down on my knees, burying my head in my hands to let the phase pass as quickly as it came.

_"It has been a while."_

Startled, I straightened upright, searching for the deep, rich acquainted voice. "Hello?" I breathed out heavily, the pounding coming to a halt.

_"You would laugh at such irony."_

I froze. He sounded so familiar: _"I miss you."_

"Niklaus?" I gasped, perplexed. When I received no reply, I jumped to my feet, blinking back the giddiness of my actions. I needed to find Ayana soon; only she held the answers to what I was going through.

Past the dirt pathways, I managed to reach unknown territory. I had never ventured farther than that forsaken field before, even with Tatia on my side. We were both cognizant of the dangers of staying out too long without guidance, particularly by a man to watch over us from afar. Who knew when we were to be in need of help? Any further of this area belonged to the natives who had lived in these lands far longer than my village began to grow. They were peaceful locals and I had the pleasure of meeting a few since we all continued to live in harmony for many years, participating in trade before the winter and dry seasons. It was part a day's journey to travel to their patches of land during those times.

Thinking of such thoughts, another throb of pain ran through my head. _"Protecting Anika . . . you have not lost your compassion."_

_Anika? _I turned at the sound of Niklaus' voice. "What is this?" I whispered, trembling in fear. Had I lost it finally?

_"Even after these centuries-" _Losing my footing at my distraction, I gracelessly fell to the ground with a loud _"oomph!"_ and missed the rest of his sentence that echoed in my ears. The sayings I was forced to listen to resembled broken pieces of a melancholic picture, perhaps a memory. Weary, I stayed still, curling into a ball as I inhaled the faint scent of grass. It was the one thing that safeguarded me from his heartbroken voice. When I could not break free from the dejection that was suffocating me like a fog, I had no choice but to endure, bracing myself for the sorrow. _"I suppose it was fitting for Elijah to find you."_

My ears perked up to the sound of footsteps and I feared I was discovered until I recognized her calming tone. "You have found me, young one."

Tolerably relieved, I opened my eyes and tilted my head to the side to meet her steady gaze. "Ayana?" I groaned when Niklaus spoke again.

_"To move on . . ."_

"What is happening?" I cried out.

She walked over and leaned over, letting her calloused hands caress my cheek. "You are fighting the compulsion."

I repeated in bemusement, "I-I had been compelled?"

"You would not remember it," Ayana reminded me gently before helping me up to my feet. She amazed me with her strength, supporting most of my weight as I was tortured with heavy weights of emotions, feelings that were not mine. What was this empathy? Leading me to her hidden abode, she said quietly, "If you wish to find what you have lost, you must fight it."

"This is not of my doing!"

"Your subconsciousness has done what it believes should be done. It is an unnatural ability to fight their dark gift without the aide of the enchanter itself, so it is with its consequences."

My face twisted in understanding. "The pain?"

"Yes." Ayana looked troubled at my whimpers. "Though I must warn you, the things you are bound to discover will most likely not be pleasant things to acknowledge."

_"It is hard to accept, to say goodbye."_

Letting out another gasp, I managed a nod. _Anika_, a voice called out, expecting an answer. One came in a form of an image, a picture of a pretty dark girl with deep almost black eyes and long gorgeous hair popped into my mind. _I know her. I remember. _"Anika," I mumbled feebly into Ayana's arm.

"Dead," Ayana announced solemnly. "She is dead, Heidi."

"No. . . ." As much as I wanted to cry, I could not. She had been a werewolf and an acquaintance, a woman I had failed to protect despite my fight on her behalf. Anika was the origin of the reasons for why I separated myself from Elijah, forcing the tenacious billow of longing to rise in my chest whenever I saw him. I knew now the logic of his avoidance.

Then why was I hearing Niklaus' voice?

_Because he is the one to cause this trouble. _I could finally comprehend Rebekah's indignation and Elijah's outrage of that day two moons ago. They had shared the same goal to defend me and my honor, though it had been too late then. The damage was already done. _But why?_

The answer made me stop at my steps, pulling Ayana to a standstill beside me as well. She was calling my name in worry, but I did not hear. I refused to out of regret and bewilderment. An unfathomable expression grew on my face as I reached for my lips that were now healed. He had kissed me. The brother of the man I dearly admired had _kissed_ me, and to my mortification, I could so clearly educe that I had kissed him back. "Oh . . . my Gods!"

_"I have missed you, Laelia."_


	20. Under Her Shadow

_Remember that Heidi was compelled_ before_ Niklaus declared that she wasn't Laelia if you guys are confused about that part. Lol, it's a flashback of the flashback. Thank you for reading this far! Love you my readers! I write for you! This was the hardest chapter to write and I really hope it's not confusing.__** Very complicated chapter, be warned!**__ So tread carefully. Any questions if you don't understand, I will be happy to answer. Elijah fans rejoice. Any Niklaus fans, be patient! There's still Niklaus love in this story in the future, very much so! I don't own Vampire Diaries! Very much appreciated if you don't copy my original characters! Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Twenty**

**Under Her Shadow**

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2010

"Argh! There's _nothing_ here!" I heard Damon groan from afar.

I sat up from my slouch, tired and cranky as hell. My stomach was grumbling from the lack of food, my muscles aching at my stiff posture. Damon kept Alaric and I in the apartment for hours to search for something that was never here, not even Johnny Boy's diary. "Yes, Mr. Obvious. Thanks for repeating what I just said for the past _afternoon_!"

"Now, now. No need to be pissy."

"I'm hungry, damn it. I can afford to be pissy."

"This is another dead end," Alaric summarized carefully, not wanting Damon and I to argue for the hundredth time. He was weary too but he didn't exactly complain as I did every five minutes. Then again, Alaric wasn't as spoiled as I was. While he settled for frozen dinner, I demanded champagne and caviar.

The apartment complex had been searched inside out, starting from the bedroom and bathroom. It stung painfully when I went through Henry's stuff. They were reminders that Damon and Alaric shared hands at killing him, and I honestly blamed Damon more than Alaric - his vampire instincts, to be more specific. He knew about my position with murder and Alaric didn't, but he still did it anyways. Maybe I was disappointed that he didn't really regard my feelings as thoroughly as Elena's. _So much for friends._

The kitchen and the living room were the last to be checked. Unfortunately, the last microwavable meal was already thrown at the garbage, eaten, and there was no cable. Adding from my starving state, I was so, very _bored_! I had quit with rummaging through random newspapers and open letters and escaped to my thoughts for the last hour and a half, getting up from my spot whenever I was called from time to time. "There's nothing to do here!"

Damon sighed, plopping down on the sofa cushion and rummaging under the seats. He sounded disenchanted. "Damn. I was at least expecting porn under the sofa."

I questioned, disturbed, "Is that where you hide your dirty magazines at home?"

"Seriously? Have you _looked_ at me recently, Char? Why read from paper alone when I can get the real experience firsthand?" He retorted, smirking at my grimace.

Embarrassingly enough, he was aware that I thought he was pretty hot. With his chiseled abs, gorgeous face, and striking gray blue eyes, who could blame me? It was hard to avoid ogling the hardness of his stomach with the tight black shirts he preferred to wear - no fat and all muscle. If he could, Damon would've stuck with open button polo-shirts to expose most of his very impressive chest. He wasn't ashamed with perfect body, that alone was clear, but it didn't mean I was going to try _anything_ with him anytime soon. Besides, I still had Tyler to think about in that department.

"And speaking of experiences-"

"Don't," Alaric warned, shooting the dark-haired vampire a cautious glance. "Save the jokes for later. We haven't found anything here."

"Oh, stop with the depressing act. What exactly did you really think we were gonna find in this apartment?" Damon snorted unattractively. "I can't imagine Isobel in a silk bathrobe with a lit cigar, congratulating you on _finally_ finding her."

I frowned at him. "Harsh."

Alaric didn't even respond to Damon's antics as sorrow quickly filled in his features. "This is it, I guess . . . I-I can't spend the rest of my life seeking someone who doesn't want to be found."

"It's not some addiction," I argued quietly. All this dejection was adding to my own, and as much as I wanted Alaric to move on from his missing, possibly vampire wife, I wanted to avoid delving into my own conflicts. "You loved her, didn't you?"

"I did. I loved Isobel, but I'm not sure about the present anymore. I just . . ."

"Well, think of it this way," Damon began in a chipper tone, "you've only wasted two years looking for her. You're healthy - kind of young with a few more decades in your system - so you didn't really miss out on much during your obsessive years. It's not too late to get out there again, if you know what I mean."

Irritated at his insensitivity, I snapped, "Says the guy who was pining over Katherine for five generations."

"Vampires are different, sweetie. I thought I'd get over her after I hit the big two-oh-oh mark, but we'll never know now, will we?"

"I'm going to stop trying to track her." Alaric announced out loud, more for his own benefit than ours.

"You sure about that? The temptation for discovering someone's dirty little secrets is too hard to resist sometimes. _I_ would know."

"Getting no answers is okay for me, I think."

I asked, "Then why search in the first place?"

"Maybe what I really wanted to learn, after everything that happened with all of this, was when she realized I wasn't enough to live for, did she think of me?" He was at a daze, the words slipping from his mouth. "At that precise moment when Isobel moved on, did she even think about how I'd feel without saying goodbye?"

A sharp piercing pain struck through my chest and I glanced away from Alaric, sucking in much needed air. I hated to admit it but we were both at the same standstill, always waiting for _her_ to return. "Isobel was different," Damon pointed out, eyeing Alaric with a stern gaze. "She was intelligent, Ric, talked a great game when she tried to convince me to change her. She knew what she wanted and she managed to charm me."

"She must've had a lot of charisma then," I commented dryly.

He wasn't offended. Yet. "There had to be a reason I didn't kill her when I discovered she knew what I was. Possibly some connection to Katherine."

"That's called wistful thinking, Damon."

"I don't want to hear anymore, and I don't want to waste the rest of my life. I'm done with this." Interrupting Damon's glare at my direction, Alaric stood up to gather his stuff. He saw our small concerned stares and muttered, "I need a drink."

Biting my lip as we watched him walk past the door, I ran back to Henrik's room to grab the empty picture frame and slipped it into my jacket. I had an idea with what to do with it, but I wasn't sure if he'd like it at all. "Ooh, what do you need that for?" Damon asked, entertained. "Never thought you'd become the common thief."

"No one's gonna use it," I mumbled, turning to the the parking lot. The cool night air was colder now that the sun was gone and we were facing a cold front. Annoyed at his smirk, I threw the attention back on him. "So how's Stefan?"

"Hmm, extra broody,"

"It must be hard for him, getting back on track."

He scoffed. "With Elena there, he'll probably be Saint Stefan in no time - no worries. Can't wait to go home."

I glanced at him doubtfully, hearing the sarcasm. "Do you even want him to go back to being _just_ broody, bunny diet and all? I thought you wanted him to be like you."

"Mopey Stefan or extra mopey Stefan? Huh, trick question. I wonder how I'll ever answer that - no wait, that's right. I won't." His gray blue eyes flickered to me in amusement. "And there can only be one Damon Salvatore, Char. Stefan isn't cut out for the badass aura, you know?"

"I'm guessing no,"

Damon nonchalantly shrugged. "If you really must know what I think, then fine. I think Stefan's being stupid - _irritatingly_ so. He's spent a lot of years avoiding his hunger, using Bambi and the little doe-eyed animals of the forest as a substitute for what he really needs, that he hasn't controlled it."

"And that's bad?"

He shot me a pointed look. "What do you think, sweetie?"

"Then tell him that."

"With Elena in the room?" He raised an eyebrow. We reached the parking lot to see Alaric just slipping into the driver's seat. He glanced at me, gesturing to come along, and I nodded in reply. I couldn't forget that Alaric was my ride. "Unlike my brother, _I'm_ not that stupid. She'll make a fit about the flaws of her so-called perfect boyfriend."

"You're sounding envious."

"Ugh, please. Nothing's more annoying than a pretty brunette in denial."

A snicker left my lips. "A brunette you like, I might add."

"Oh, don't be jealous. Envy green isn't a good color on your skin tone." He slammed the car door shut behind him, mockingly grinning at my disbelief. "Good night, Char. Be sure I'll be dreaming of you," Damon winked, teasing. Before I could put a word in, he put his sports car on reverse and sped out of the parking lot.

_"Unbelievable."_ Getting into Alaric's car, I pushed aside my agitation for the blue-eyed vampire. "Are you okay?"

A ghost of a smile grew on his face. "Just trying to absorb the fact we had a heart-to-heart with Damon."

Smiling at his weak attempt of a joke, I checked my phone conscientiously and grimaced at the number of missed calls from John. He still wanted to talk. Instead of telling Alaric, I kept it to myself, blushing when my stomach rumbled noisily. Mercifully, I noticed the text from Winnie that said to meet him at the grill for dinner. There was a similar message from both Caroline and Matt. I literally drooled at the mere thought of food. "Hey, can you give me a ride to Mystic Grill?"

"Yeah, I'm going there anyways,"

I glanced at my history teacher, a little uptight. "Planning to get plastered?"

He nodded. "Why not?"

"It's a school night," I hinted skeptically.

"And when had you cared about that before?"

_Ric has a point. _I stayed quiet, not having a ground to argue on without being seen as a hypocrite. We didn't talk much during the ride to the restaurant since the atmosphere was too heavy. I didn't do that well with the mushy stuff aloud and Alaric didn't seem to want any sympathy, especially from his own student. Then again, disincluding my brother, Alaric also understood what it felt like to be abandoned. He might not have required Isobel growing up like I needed my parents and Guinevere, but she was a very important part of his life nonetheless. It was only when he parked the car in front of the packed restaurant did I try to comfort the hurting man.

"I'm sorry." When Alaric didn't respond, I irrelevantly grew nervous and blurted out, "About your wife, I mean."

He let out a deep sigh, his voice troubled. "I don't deserve your apologies, Char."

"What do you mean?"

A flash of hesitation crossed his already dark features. "I . . ." He shook his head almost regretfully. "I just can't right now. Not tonight."

When Alaric got out of his car in a hurry, I pretty much did the same, sliding my bag over my shoulder. Shivering, I managed to stop him in front of the entrance. I could feel the cool rush of air against my skin as I yanked his hand away from the handle bars. "Wait! What does _that_ mean?"

"Char-"

"No," I interrupted grimly, pushing my luck with the adult twice my age. "What aren't you telling me? You acted weird when we first met and the weeks after that. Even when I talked about my mom today, you were being odd." My eyes widened slightly at my own words. _How could I not have seen this before? _"My mom . . . Ric, did you know my mom?"

Before he could respond, his eyes flickered to the side. I turned curiously, seeing my brother and my second cousin, her boyfriend sitting right beside her, through the thick glass. They were waiting for me in their own booth, browsing through the menu with interest and chattering excitedly. "See you tomorrow in class," Alaric said from behind me as he brushed past my shoulder, making a beeline for the bar.

_What the hell? _With a frustrated sigh, I trailed from afar and took a seat next to Winslow. _Alaric knows something._

"Hey!" Caroline cheered, not suspecting a thing, "Good, you're finally here! I'm starving!"

"Best not to keep my lady waiting," Matt joked, receiving a tender squeeze on his muscled arm.

She giggled. "My mom called. She's staying overnight at the police station so I thought it'd be a great idea to eat out tonight. Tomorrow, we're preparing for the parade and as you know, I'm Miss Mystic Falls, so I'll have a very significant part in it."

Winslow muttered, "Yes, waving at everyone. Very difficult."

Our second cousin pouted at his lack of enthusiasm, glancing at me inquiringly. "Chardonnay?"

I forced a smile. "Great idea, Care. I was kind of hungry." _Understatement of the week_, I thought wearily.

"Was everything cool at Stefan's?"

"Everything's cool." When Winslow wasn't as convinced as the happy couple across from us, I slid closer to his body as if to steal his warmth. "Just tired, I guess."

Much to Caroline's annoyance, I didn't participate much on the conversation. She couldn't do anything about it though. Even Winslow tried to make me talk but I kept quiet, finishing my meal before anyone else. I faintly tasted what Winslow ordered for me, never pausing to savor the slices of beef, string beans, and mash potatoes. My head was going in circles with the possibility of Alaric obtaining some sort of knowledge relating to my mother, and I didn't really care about their reactions to my silence. I couldn't help myself and watched Alaric at the corner of my eye throughout dinner, pitying the thirty-four year old sitting alone.

When Matt and Caroline went off ahead to the parking lot, most likely to kiss each other goodbye, Winslow and I stayed behind. They had thankfully spared us the mental scarring of seeing our second cousin making out with her boyfriend. Wrapping an arm around my shoulders, he murmured, "We haven't hung out much now that I'm with Nicole most of the time. I'm sorry." Winslow had picked up on my discomfort easily.

"It's not your fault." My mood dropped a bit at his girlfriend's name. Just because I didn't have the chances to intimidate her like I would've wanted to, didn't mean I liked her anymore than she liked me. "But I like this."

"Me too."

We saw Caroline gesture from outside. My phone began to vibrate again once my brother walked in front of me, and I pressed the ignore button when I saw it was John. I didn't want to tell Winslow about John yet, knowing he was as close as I was to our indecipherable godfather. Not looking ahead, I bumped into someone, startled to the bone when a chill of death struck through my entire body. _A vampire_, my instincts forewarned. I stopped in surprise, meeting a pair of stormy gray eyes.

"Excuse me," she said smoothly, her voice clear of passionate emotion. Her black hair was tied into a high ponytail, shaping her facial features appealingly, as she wore an outfit both seductive and casual. I was partially impressed with her style.

_What is another vampire doing here? _Composing myself, I gave her way. "Sorry."

She appraised me quickly, faintly smirking as a hint of recognition skimmed her pale oval face. "Hmm." With that confusing - not to mention _pompous_ - reaction, she sauntered up to my history teacher. I was wary of her immediately.

"Char?" At the sound of my younger brother's voice, I gave Alaric's back another apprehensive glower before following Winslow out of Mystic Grill. "Are you sure you're alright, Char? You've been acting weird."

Without saying anything, I wrapped my arms around his center. I inhaled his boyish cologne that I had gotten him for his birthday last summer, a scent I supposed Nicole liked. He stiffened at my action and returned it uncertainly. Everyone who knew me also knew that I wasn't a hugger. "I missed you," I murmured against his shirt.

"Erm, what's the occasion?"

"I just need my brother right now."

His chest shook when he laughed lightly. "Yeah, I missed you too, sis."

Giving him a saddened glimpse, I climbed on the passenger seat. I made an effort to talk during the ride home, feeling a bit guilty that I wasn't sparing Caroline the exclusive attention she wanted from me.

When I was alone in the bedroom, dressed for bed and completely exhausted, I eyed my phone on top of the bed covers. It taunted me, daring me to make the call I wasn't ready to make yet. The idea was mocking me for the whole day, but I hadn't been able to fight through my indecision. After what had happened with Henry and Alaric, I couldn't really force it back anymore. I needed someone to talk to, the obvious choice being my younger brother, but I didn't want to remind Winslow of the bad memories of our childhood. Winslow deserved more.

My heart began to race as the call successfully went through, half of me wanting him to pick up and the other hoping he wouldn't. "Hello?"

I habitually froze. _Speak._

"Hello?" He paused, his voice hopeful. "Donna - er, _Char?_"

My voice was humiliatingly weak as I called out in reply, "Yeah, John. It's me."

* * *

-The New World-

1025

The sun offered more light now that it was at a better angle to guide us, making it easier than before to travel through the woods. Although it did not give us more shade to hide, we had no need. It was more than enough that we did not walk aimlessly to our destination yet we were silent, wary of any immortals lurking closely. I glanced at the dark-skinned lady, wondering how I could have faith yet suspicion towards someone at the same time. My instincts and my mind were furiously debating whether the witch could be trusted or not, and I did not know the answer to that myself; it was too soon to tell.

Much to my confusion, Ayana seemed placid at my side. When she caught sight of my inquiring stare, she only offered a small smile, some sort of encouragement to continue following her. It did not appear like she had recently planned to curse Rebekah and her kind into a frenzy of blood lust and gluttony. Then I scolded myself for my biased suspicions. I too had played a part in manipulating their weakness despite Rebekah's warning. My attention returned to Ayana momentarily when she murmured, "We are here. It is not much compared to those in the village, but it is my home."

My eyes eagerly took in most of the details of her modest living quarters. It was skillfully hidden that I would not have given it a second thought but a fleeting glance. Many must have made the same mistake. It was enveloped in a circle of wide oaks as if they had been charmed to conceal her cottage of stone and wood. Exceptional pieces of trinkets and charms hung over her doors and windows, those made of glass and the like sparkling in the light. To my amazement, I sensed faint thrums of energy in them, as well as around her meek property, and that alone suggested Ayana had placed a spell for protection. Was that not what witches do? Cast spells and create questionable concoctions?

A tiny garden of strange shaded lavender buds laid out in front of it, blooming under the pleasant warmth of the sun. It gave off a familiar scent and instantly, I was a little less pained from my past struggles. The throbbing was soon fading away into nothing, gradually but still providing relief. "Has it caught your interest, young one?"

"What is this herb?" I heard myself asking in astonishment.

"Those belong to the plant family of verbena," Ayana answered, plucking one from the ground and giving it to me with an expectant expression. "In some lands, they are specifically known as vervain."

The stem was a little rough under my touch but its petals were soft, pretty in its color of light purple. Catching the odd scent, the fragrance of vervain alone miraculously soothed the lingering headache from before. The smell was similar to that of my choker, the one I foolishly left at the top of my bookshelf. Refusing to recall the horrid truth of what I had done with a particular blond, I sniffed the herb again and savored the moment of peace it easily offered. "Amazing!"

"It also prevents compulsion. It appears it assists you with the pain, no?"

I turned to her in wonder. "How did you discover a defense like this?"

"From whispers elsewhere,"

"There are other immortals?"

Taking a few more stems of vervain, Ayana led me past her front door. She was clearly amused at my surprise but her voice was a different matter. "These recent days are not my first encounters with your _friends_. There were many of those demons in the old world, and I knew it would be only time before they followed us here. It is in their attributes to search for easier food sources." Meeting her eyes like a child awaiting a scold, I watched her continue in a gentler tone, "Please, sit. There are some things I must explain to you. Perhaps after you will understand my contempt."

Despite my insecurities with her allegations of hate, I sat on the edge of a wooden chair. "Thank you," I told her candidly.

"Of course," She began an ordinary flame in front of me with one swipe of her hand. I was surprised at her inconsequential display of power, not entirely knowing what a witch could really do. "You have many questions?"

"Will you answer them?"

"To the best of my ability." A small fireplace was put together in the middle of her cramped greeting room, pressing against her private chambers and the large table where she ate her daily meals. Shelves of thick old books were placed at the side of one stone wall, cluttered together in a thin layer of dust and dirt from lack of use. Ayana noticed my interested gaze. "They are grimoires."

"G-Grim . . ." I blushed, unable to pronounce it.

"Grimoires, young one. They are a witch's guide, inherited from their own throughout the generations."

"You are not the only witch then."

"My mother and her mother before her were," she explained, wiping her fingers on the skirt of her dress and taking the spot across from me, "for magic lies within our bloodlines. We are tied to nature and for that we are conceived to be nature's servants."

_As what Rebekah said_, I thought in realization. "What does that truly imply, to be a server of something you cannot see?"

A soft smile grew on her thin lips. "You are wrong for you can see nature everywhere. Trees, winds, rivers, even the mountains and the animals of the earth are mere examples of that; but it is not always about _seeing_." Ayana wore a partially fond look, reaching her hand for mine. I gave it without hesitation, gasping when I felt her inner power. For certain, I knew I would not get used to the exchange. "What is it that you feel?"

My grip tightened. "Energy - _your_ energy. I sense warmth near you and with the _others_-"

"Death?" She explained after I nodded, "I feel yours as well, clean and pure, and what you are sensing, it tells you to confide in me." Rebekah had mentioned this as well, and I finally comprehended the reason of her bitterness. I gave Ayana - unwillingly or not - unconditional trust, disregarding if she even deserved it. "This is but a single force from the sum that work together in harmony for many millennium, creating a balance that is forever meant to be maintained."

"That is your task?"

"It is my duty. _That_ as well as _this_ are parts of nature. It is _you_."

Meeting her eyes with alarm, I paled. "Pardon?"

"You are-"

"No," I blurted out. "I heard what you said, Ayana, but _no_. I-"

"From the legends I heard as a child," Ayana started with a tinge of wistfulness, interrupting my state of discomfiture, "there was a time thousands of years ago when beasts, werewolf or blood-thirsty demons, did not exist. There were simply men and women born with nature's blessing, groups of humans who were gifted with magic and ancient wisdom. They were to live their limited time to use their talents for accordingly, then simply die." She succeeded in distracting my thoughts but at the hint of captivation on my face, she warned, "It was not a fairytale. Even with the lack of cursed monsters and the like, there were other troubles at hand in their time."

"As?"

"There was a hunger, not for the blood of the innocent or for revenge, but for _power_ itself. Unimaginable power that could be obtained, possibly controlled, if one delved into the dark arts of magic."

"Dark magic? How are they to call on that if nature is good?"

Ayana released my hands as if I had burned her. "Nature is always at a balance - good and bad, right and wrong. There is never too much of one thing and that is the way things are meant to be. As I had said, it is my obligation as a witch to make this my highest priority."

"Then what is this to do with me?" Exasperation was clear in my voice. "I cannot _stress_ anymore that I am not one of you."

"Patience." She spared me a smile at my avidity before continuing her solemn story. "Certain witches and warlocks - driven by greed or by desperation - delved into things they should not have. They had a hand in creating the past world with no such balance - injuring then aiding the normal humans, betraying the force that had gifted them. It brought kin against kin and soon after, war throughout the nations."

My eyes narrowed. "I had thought you were a peaceful community."

"We are not perfect, child. Tales of their scrimmages were written and told down the centuries, existing as mere myths today around the world."

"Myths of the world? Their history are written in scrolls - Greece, the Roman Empire, _everywhere_?" I guessed, speechless when she inclined her head as a yes. There were so many things to learn now that I knew there was so much _more_ outside of this village. Mercifully, Ayana gave me time to collect myself. "D-Did no one stop it?"

"They were torn, you see. Some had agreed with the gain of that power, but most stayed true to their loyalty. There was a stalemate for years to come, a free reign. It allowed their offenses to continue until others consummated on their thoughts and had tilted the scales to either favor - good or bad, bringing battles within each country. Gradually, the significance of keeping equality was forgotten. The most desperate assisted in circumstances they were not to meddle in, particularly with the factors of vengeance and death."

Audaciously defending the latter, I cried out, "To save someone from death is not a crime!"

"Not if it is their time to die."

"So you are only to watch?"

"It is the course of human life." A dark look crossed her aged features. "When many of nature's servants died at each other's hand and those lauded with magic nearing extinction, it is told that nature itself made a mortal human body to walk among us. It was to serve its purpose of tending to our dying population, protecting and guiding us to do what is right. _She_ led us into the right path once again. Without _her_ assistance, there would be no witches nor warlocks today. And you would be truly alone."

Eyeing at her with skepticism, I clarified, "You presume I am_ she_, that I am nature."

"Yes."

I was surprised at my boldness when a scoff left my lips. "I do not believe you."

"Young one, I am not lying." She urged, taking my hands again, "This is what has been said for many centuries-"

"A story from _thousands_ of years ago!"

"You would feel the ill intention of any deceit if I ever lied by one touch. Feel it in your heart that I am telling the truth."

My mouth hung open at her pleading. A grown woman of keen discernment was on her knees in front of me, begging me to listen as far as her pride allowed her to. _But how could I take her sayings to heart without failing to accept what fell from her mouth? _The amount of faith she held, toward a weak-willed woman such as I, was staggering to say the least. She sincerely believed that I was a powerful force that led her kind back to tranquility, that I had lived far before immortals and werewolves - before Elijah and his family. _Impossible._ "I-I cannot be, Ayana, for I cannot lead anyone. I am of little importance."

"No, quite the opposite. You are significant to our cause."

"To _witches_," I interpreted dryly. "But I am not immortal-"

"No, you are a reincarnation." When I tried to tug my hands free, she did not let go of her hold. She wanted to make sure that I was aware of her honesty. "No one, not even the human form of nature, is to live forever."

Shaking my head, I mumbled, "Ayana . . . I do not know what to think, and I must admit, this is too overwhelming to hear at one time."

"You are refusing to sense it. Can you surely push away the actuality in my words?"

I trembled in anxiousness to acknowledge what my instincts were screaming in my ears. It proved that I was an example of a hypocritical coward, saying things I was doubting to follow, but when I met her reassuring dark eyes, I also affirmed that I had changed in the few days - somewhat. I was different from the Heidi days ago, less scared of my own shadow. Shifting my stance, I accepted to listen and now knew the truth. Ayana was anything but a liar regarding these matters, and the reality of her declarations were a tremendous blow to my already racing heart.

"B-But h-how?" I uttered out, a belated reaction. "My family does not have magic in their blood."

Aside from her relief, she was thoughtful. "I do not know the answer to that. I suppose nature's counterparts do not follow a sole bloodline for it would be easy for anyone to break the cycle by killing _her_ descendents."

Warily, I stood up and paced. _Could I really believe? _My lingering doubts were slowly fading away, but did I really want them to?

Spending twenty-one years as someone's servant, it was hard to imagine myself in a position of high value, for I could not lead anyone to _safety_ or peace. I did not have the strength to discipline, or guide, a person alone. A frown settled on my face. Was this what Elijah and Henrik did not want me to know? Were they aware of what I was entirely? Biting my lip, I realized that out of the four of them, it had been Niklaus who was trying to give me what I searched for all along, despite his aggressive approach. He was attentive towards my very being from the moment I met him, and it was odd to grasp that the man I held so much confusion against was helping me in his own distraught way.

In an attempt to bend away from the persistent nagging of that kiss, I asked, "And this dark magic? What of it now?"

"Do you not sense the obscurity inside of you? The same hunger for power that many had succumbed to over these many years?" Ayana gave me a comforting smile when I lowered my eyes in shame. I had felt that very desire with Niklaus the day he provoked me on behalf of Tatia's wellbeing and from what I remembered, the need was too great.

"I was asleep for eight moons after. It was so much power and I could not control myself."

"You had drained yourself almost dry of energy," she informed me with a hint of scolding. "The strain alone will most likely kill you if you are not careful. Always fighting for balance, just as nature, for you are one."

A tinge of indignation for the one called _nature_ filled me. "Why do I not remember!? Would they not be my own memories no matter what body I may have?"

"It is rumored you were fated to die as the rest of us, but to return centuries later when your ties to your past existence cease to remain. You are not meant to remember the lives you had before and that is your bane." She added warily, "I have no knowledge of your past lives. I am sorry."

". . . That is a cruel fate."

"It is equilibrium."

"Then I do not wish it," I snapped, annoyed at her state of mind.

Ayana let out a sigh. "You cannot ignore what is already there in your heart."

_Niklaus knew_, a voice echoed in my head.

My fingertips absentmindedly brushed my lips, a pink blush growing on my cheeks. I still did not remember most of what had happened that day or how it began, but I could picture his warm mouth on mine and the tingles that flourished at the base of my stomach. I had liked it then, but glancing back, I regretted it. How could I have responded to that act of dishonesty? I was very taken with Elijah, but failed to desist Henrik's shows of affection _and_ kissed Niklaus in return. I had become the woman Rebekah detested and warned me about, stringing her brothers along without consideration.

_But I care for Elijah nevertheless. _I thought with more conviction, feeling a smile appear at my self-reliance,_ it shall always be Elijah._

"And of them?" I questioned tacitly. "What are the immortals to cheat death?"

"They are the anathema of what is normal. Their beginnings do not matter." She turned to me with a scowl, obliquely silent.

When Ayana didn't continue, I pressed, "What is on your mind?"

"I find your friendships with them rather strange. I do not understand - no, I _deny_ to consider that you care for them."

"_They_ have cared for _me._ They who you call monsters bought me my freedom."

A faint sneer graced her mouth. The sight of it surprised me immensely. I did not think a woman of her age or her humble composure was capable of anger and hatred. "Child, what they have told you are lies, fables to twist your mind-"

Unwaveringly, I demurred, "That is not true."

"They have killed."

"I do not disregard that!"

She was not impressed. "Anika is dead because of them."

I faltered slightly, recalling the terror of that moment. Discovering Niklaus had compelled me to forget her, it drove my inner turmoil to the brink. "I do remember."

"And yet you still let them _in_. You are a reincarnation of nature and they are disgraces of what is right. Friendships between two different beings, it is not anticipated nor will it be welcomed. Tis not _natural._" At my atrabilious expression, Ayana rose gracefully and seized my shoulder in a firm grip. She seemed tense for some reason. "Come." Silently, I followed her to the back way and into an concealed field behind her home.

The cool fresh air did me good and as I tilted my head to the sky, I noticed that time had passed by rather quickly. Rebekah's brothers would soon realize my disappearance. My concern for Rebekah and those who were affected by Ayana's curse - human or immortal - was building, but I could not leave just yet. Something was telling me to wait a while. Ayana gave me her woolen shawl since I lost mine along the way to find her. We did not walk far for her house was still in sight when we reached her intended location.

Past the endless view of green grasses and foggy thickets, something caught my eye forthwith. A part of the land was scorched to indiscernible ash, layers of gray and black against brown and green. It was a pathetic sight that called for sympathy. I bent down to run my quivering fingers through the ruins, smudging dirt into my pale skin. The remnants were unexpectedly cold, icy. From where I crouched, I could still smell the stench of burnt wood. "What has happened, Ayana?"

"Twas days ago, young one. I wrongfully assumed that it was well protected from their kind, but your companions had discovered it without warning at sunrise. They had destroyed it with fire and watched as it burned to the ground for the duration of the day."

_It had taken most of the day to burn? _"What was it?"

"An ancient white oak tree," Ayana stood behind me, regretful. "It is one of the earth's eternal objects."

"A tree of immortality is accepted yet a being of similar gifts is scorned?"

She didn't appreciate my humor and said dismissively, "They are not never-ceasing for they each have their ends. I am not sure how but the properties of a white oak tree could kill those creatures, its ashes weakening them to a temporary death." When Ayana caught my anxiety, she seemed frustrated. She knew well that I cared for them. "These remains are useless, young one. They had not burned it with regular flame but with blue fire. It is the only offense that can render the white oak tree's ashes useless."

My eyes widened. "B-Blue fire?"

"Yes. I had not seen such a sight before, but I suspect that display of power belonged to you, and only you."

"B-But-" Recalling the time Niklaus had tormented me with Tatia's safety, it had been blue fire that gathered under my influence and to my knowledge, there was no other source for those unusual frigid blazes. Niklaus had said he expected such a response, causing Elijah, Rebekah, and conceivably Henrik to appear a bit remorseful whenever they had paid attention to me. Had Niklaus somehow nurtured a single flame for his own use, for survival? I cleared my throat uncomfortably. "Y-You are correct."

"They have deceived you, child. Who is to know when they will kill you once you are no longer of use? They have gained what they wanted."

Dismayed at their trickery, I shot up to my feet. "Yes, I-I suppose they did." _But does that change what happened afterwards? They still watched over me, did they not?_

Ayana pushed a little further, nearing desperation, "Can you not see that your ties with them is made of hypocrisy?"

"I do but-"

"Then what is it that you see in them? What drives your pity?"

_Pity? _No, it was more like they had pitied me. Rebekah was a dear companion and as was Henrik, in spite of his affections. They appeared to be my only friends in addition to Tatia, and I could not help but cherish them greatly. I was not sure about my place with Niklaus, to be honest. The kiss had changed everything between us, adding deadly attraction to the mix of heedfulness and apprehension. Could there be more between us? Could I see him later on today and act as if I was still compelled, having no memory of what had occurred? _I do not know. I am not the greatest liar._

As to what I felt for the blond, I was certain he did not want me dead and I was simply grateful for that. Niklaus may have been difficult to fathom, but he had also brought me home last night instead of sinking my body to the bottom of a lake. That must have counted for something and it did for me, ignoring the fact that he had attacked me several times before. _Was I naïve to do such a thing? What of Elijah? _A pierce of pain stabbed my chest at his name.

My feelings for him had managed to seep past the tiny cracks of my timidity; I could not deny it for I would be lying. He unwittingly challenged me to break out of my shell and leave the comfort of what I knew, pushing me to venture out for what I wanted. Elijah played a part in my growth and I desired him. _Then is there more than the magnetism I feel towards him?_

Picturing the depth of his intense oak eyes, the warmth of his smooth pale skin, and the softness of his dark brown locks, I was left breathless. It pained my very core when Elijah avoided me in the halls, igniting a jealous flame within my body when he was with another girl. Then when he did pay attention to me, I felt exultant and valuable, even worthy of his time. He was the reason for such change. Elijah was the strongest link that bounded me to them. _Why?_

"I love him," I choked out.

She stared at me with incredulity. "What? No, you cannot."

"It explains everything. I _love_ him-"

"Heidi," I squeaked when Ayana suddenly grabbed my wrist with urgency. Her eyes had darkened considerably at my confession. "I plead you to forget such foolishness. You must let them - _him_ - go. It will bring you nothing but affliction."

Her words struck deep and my heart grew heavy at our tangled situation. What could become of Elijah and I? We had no future. _But you have now_, a voice argued quietly, _you have today._ Letting out a shaky laugh, I gained the confidence to support my abrupt announcement. "It is as you said, Ayana. I cannot ignore what is already in my heart." When she inhaled sharply, trying with obvious adversity to take in what I said, I stared at the wise woman in quandary. "How did you know of my name?"

"Pardon?"

"You called me as Heidi yet I do not remember telling you that fact."

A fixed mask slipped into her face, her grip loosening. "I had heard your name from the village years before. Rumors of a witch had spread and met my ears-"

"Yet you did not come for me _years before_ despite your claims of my authority," I pointed out harshly. She tried to move away but I did not let her. "How did you know of my name, Ayana? How did you learn of the white oak tree?"

"My grimoires, child-"

At one touch, I cried out in chagrin, "You are lying!"

With one steady push, Ayana separated herself from me. She breathed out heavily as if she felt my engulfing pain of her betrayal, her eyes flickering behind me. I followed her gaze, freezing when I caught a faint trail of smoke at the direction of the village. "It is already done."

"W-What? What _is_ done?"

"My part . . ."

Glancing back to the old witch, I glared at her. _"Why?"_

"He had promised your safety if I did this one act of support." Ayana straightened up, returning my glare with greater intensity. "But do you not find it strange? Your _love_ for that monster is a deception, a lie! It is not real! You are enemies, Heidi, not lovers."

"I never claimed the title as lovers-"

"Then realize it is a doomed love. Your union is already bewitched before it shall even begin."

"_Stop it!_ I cannot help what I feel!"

"You must! He had also told me of your companions awareness of your lives before, and I cannot say enough that you are not destined to remember the past. They are the ligaments of your former times and yet the reincarnation cycle continues to spin, granting you this fourth life when you were meant none!"

"Fourth . . . life?" I repeated, shocked.

"It is not adequate! It does not make any sense." At a pause, Ayana softened to a small degree at my discord. "You were originally known as Rehema, if I may be generous."

That was neither Greek or Roman and I did not know of its origin, but it stirred something inside of me - something deeply buried. _I was once called Rehema._ It was a strange feeling to accept, but with assurance, I knew she was not lying. But what else had been the hidden truth? "A-And who told you of these things?"

She tensed. "Twas Mikael."

Aghast, I edged away. "You warn me of them and yet your work for their father? He is attacking the village!"

"I kept my promise, so will he."

"What of the curse you manipulated me to do? It brought out their hunger and people were hurt, Ayana! I heard screaming-"

"It is the heavy price to pay, I must admit, but my concern for your wellbeing has never wavered once Mikael informed me of who you were. He has promised to harm no one if it is within his power to. I cannot expect more than that."

"You trust his words and I cannot? Why are you participating in his acts?"

Ayana was not offended when I slipped from her reach. "It is in my very makeup that I watch over you."

"But at the cost of someone else's wellbeing?"

"You must know that witches and warlocks of many generations have spent centuries searching for the legend of nature's mortal form, a secret that was reluctantly disclosed with the oldest of creatures - Mikael and his children. I was protecting you as the others would have in my place."

"Do not dare and say those words again! They have brought me nothing but strife for all these years!" I spat out, uncharacteristically vehement. Rebekah had been right once again. I was a fool to trust a stranger so blindly like I had with Ayana, but it proved her idea that I was generally biased to humans with affinities to magic. _But not anymore. I shall not make the same mistake twice. _"I do not need anymore protection!"

She warned, catching my worry for my friends, "We might not meet again. If you are to leave now, our paths will not be the same." I did not realize I was inching for home.

"Will you not stop me?"

"I will not fight to keep you here. You refuse to hear my pleas. What else can I do?" Her posture and aura grew colder, becoming an uninvited stranger. "You will heed the consequences of your own choice. Not even I shall be able to assist you."

"What of your deal with Mikael?" I grumbled bitterly. "What are his plans?"

"I have no business in knowing his schemes for his children's demise. My role was simple yet rewarding enough. You are safe, no?"

"They are not. They are in danger because of you!" I accused, "You were but a distraction."

Ayana avoided my gaze. "I had said the truth of your origin, that was not a fable, but I doubt you will listen to the rest of what I have to say. Though it does not matter anymore. You know enough from me."

"T-That is not true . . ."

"Is it?"

Once hopeful at her offer, I now stared at her wearily. She was right. I could not trust her as I did this morning. "Then this shall be goodbye, Ayana." I hesitated, aware of the risks to leaving. This was an oppertunity I was squandering so imprudently. "I suppose you already knew of my rejection to such things long before. You knew and yet you still acted upon it, losing my friendship as you went."

She shook her head. "Your heart is pure, Heidi. Work to keep it that way."

_What a sacrifice. _Taking quick note of her clouded disappointment - a fleeting glimpse, I whirled at my feet and started a long run back to the village. Ayana did nothing to stop me for she could not fight the giver of her powers.

With overwhelming cognizance, I grasped the entity of everything I was told, acquiring with glee that I had finally learned my place in this world after years of blissful ignorance. Far from it, I was neither a menace nor a hero. I was the breathing form of nature - her body, her thoughts, her face - it all belonged to me; and as I ran through the woods, I planned to oppose the very purpose that had began my long winding existence, breaking that very balance apart. _May the witches forgive me someday_, I thought.


	21. The Beauty Of Avowals

_I desperately hope that the last update wasn't confusing at all! Please don't be shy to comment on anything - if my stuff is too long-winded, losing some pizazz, too entangled? Criticism or friendly comments are welcomed anytime:) Anything confusing is due to my lack of sleep but I will check it out later. I heart you, my readers! I have lots to cover with Heidi, though, so expect much if you're an Original fan. __**Complicated explanations and a lot of grammar changes in the second part of this update; from past tense to past perfect tense**__. I do not own Vampire Diaries, but my original characters are mine. Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**The Beauty Of Avowals**

-The New World-

1025

Under my laborious breathing for air, a snarl erupted somewhere further up the path, followed by a gurgling wheeze. I halted at my footsteps, leaning against a spotted sapling as I took notice of a small trail of blood inches from my feet. I did not forget about Ayana's spell that was initiated by my blood. How could I? The guilt for any harm it may have caused for the innocent was eating me away in the inside. I felt my eyes widen, my heart quivering slightly, at the sight in front of me. _"Oh!"_

A slim woman vulgarly straddled over a limp male, the skirt of her pale dirtied dress hitching above her bare thighs. With her hands firmly secured around his shoulders and her nails sinking into his clothes, possibly tearing flesh during her hungry daze for blood, she latched onto the crook of his neck. Her fangs were deeply buried within his tender skin, tangles of golden curls cascading down to the ground; it was the sight of a terrifying beauty.

I scuttled back when an animalistic hiss left her bloodied lips. Sensing my presence, she straightened away from her prey, her lingering expression of ecstasy tarrying her pretty face. Drops of scarlet smeared over the corner of her pink mouth and down to the point of her narrow chin. Grass green orbs glowed against thin veins of translucent red as she looked to me with recognition. "Yvonne?" I gasped.

My past mistress grinned maliciously. "Hello Heidi." Without another word, she suddenly towered over my shaking body, leering down with intimidation. I was shoved back with alarming strength, my spine slamming against the base of a tree and her hand tightly gripping the back of my head. "Twas nice to see you again."

A scream escaped from me when her fangs plunged into my wrist without warning, but only for a while. The moment she gulped a mouthful of my blood, she screeched in surprise and wrenched herself as far as she could from me. Once the predator, she now acted as the prey - the victim. Thick red liquid dripped from her chin when she staggered away, desperately wiping some of the evidence of her attack with her palms. "I-It burns!" Yvonne cried, ripping her sleeves with forceful rakes as she endured the pain. "What d-did you do to me?"

Panicked, I pressed the gaping wound on my wrist and kept at a distance. "I d-do not know what I did, b-but I had believed you to be dead. How are you alive?"

She growled in warning. "Lies! You have d-done something!"

Taking another glimpse of her meal, I stared at her in revelation. She had been turned by immortal blood, but by who? "Who is your sire?"

Yvonne irritatingly chose not to listen as she snapped,_ "Witch!"_

It appeared that her hatred for me had not ceased even after her death. A smothered rustle of the trees nearby made me turn around, expectant for another immortal to fight. To my humiliation and fear, it was Niklaus that stood there with an irritated expression. He eyed Yvonne and I with slight interest. His clothes were different from the ones he wore during the feast, yet they were still tattered and bloodied like he had fought another opponent of similar skills. He found us easily, that it seemed as if he knew exactly where I was throughout the day. _But that could not be so. He too should have been affected with Ayana's magic just as Rebekah was._

"Tsk, she made the move to kill you."

"Mikael," I blurted out tactlessly. "It is him. H-He is attacking the village."

"I am aware," he replied, shockingly not concerned at all. Was Mikael not the man who had hunted him down for more than a millennia? What was the cause for such indifference?

I asked, "What of Rebekah? Your brothers?"

"They are fine." _Then my help is not needed? _Dragging the warm body of the scarred man closer to Yvonne's reach, Niklaus bent over the quivering blonde who was trying to vomit it out like the very essence of my blood burned. It disgusted me to a point when he sounded almost scolding toward Yvonne's ignorant mistake. "Drinking her blood is not the way to do it, at least not without her acceptance. For without it, her blood is like vervain to us immortals . . . Nothing drops of human blood cannot fix."

"V-Vervain?" Yvonne forced out loud with a tense jaw. With Niklaus' assistance, her mouth instantly fastened onto an old wound on the man's wrist. Rubbing my own with discomfort and wincing as it stung, I blanched at the amount of metallic liquid she engorged herself with, nearing gluttony.

"T-The man," I stuttered, "the one from the field that day. H-He had drank my blood but did not act in such a manner."

Niklaus shook his head. "From what I had heard from afar, Elijah had killed him, no? Such a rash, impulsive man when it comes to you, Heidi. It had been too early for the poor fellow to react to your shielded blood."

"B-But why?"

"Would you rather be an easy meal?"

I corrected myself hastily. "Then _how_?"

"Did Rebekah tell you of an immortal's need for an invitation?"

"To enter one's home," I simplified, nodding. "She had."

"Tis not obvious it is a similar mechanism for defense? Someone as special as you, there must always be a safeguard to the possibilities of each threat." Niklaus answered, a glint of knowing flashing across his handsome features. The way he said it, even at the glimpse of his perceptive expression, made me worried. What did Niklaus know of today? What was his plan for Mikael now that his father made the first move? Surely it was not to stay and watch, allowing troubling things to happen to my village . . . was it?

I frowned. "Elijah protected me from my own uncle, under the impression that he would feed on me."

"More for your benefit than your uncle's. You care for Johan clearly, foolishly so. If he were to be injured, would you not feel guilty to be the cause of his pain like you are the cause of Yvonne's?"

My eyes lowered to her trembling figure. Disregarding the sheen thin layer of sweat that built on top her skin, the color of mellow rose had returned to her flushed cheeks and her ragged breathing had calmed. She appeared to be better. "I-I did not know."

He stood up, raising an eyebrow at my meekness. "Now, love, do not feel guilty. She tried to kill you, drain you of your life source. I do not think Elijah would fancy a dry corpse."

"How do you know of such things?" I asked cumbrously, taking a step back.

He smirked without shame. "From experience, of course."

_"Give me permission," _I heard him say without his lips moving. I frowned at the memory Niklaus had forced me to forget, wincing at the headache that came along with it. _"Say it is allowed."_

Gathering confidence despite my throbbing head, the glare I managed to muster faltered. "I . . ."

I charily remembered the way he had pressed my body closely to his, a firm hold around my shoulders and waist, before he dipped down to press an open-mouthed kiss on the base of my neck. I pictured myself unmistakably shivering in anticipation with that deed alone, wondering what else he had done that could have excited me so facilely. Then I could recall how his teeth had sunk past my flesh and into my body, tugging down on my hair eagerly to grant him better access to my vulnerable throat - to ease the blood flow from my veins to his mouth. My cheeks reddened at the memory of my pleasured moans; I had liked it very, very much.

_Oh, my._

"Y-You-" I covered my stupefied gape with my hands and accused, "You had d-drank from me! And _compelled_ me to agree!"

He grinned. "Could I deny the delicacy of your blood? Elijah and Henrik perhaps, but could I show the same restraint? Come now, Heidi, you know me better than that. I had used the strength it offered to take Anika from her village. You should be proud you are of importance to my cause."

"Anika is dead."

"By Mikael's hand, for her dead body was a message, you see." He patronizingly corrected me, speaking without difficulty of the dead. "Why would I kill the girl I have use for?"

My glare did not fade. "Use for what?"

"You will know soon enough." Niklaus hungrily put to mind my distress and dread as he picked up a weak Yvonne in his arms. Her weight did not faze him and he made his way closer to the burning village. I was reluctant but I followed behind warily, filled with indignation for his lack of respect for boundaries. "It seems that witch has helped you summon past recollections. Perhaps you have forgotten the approval you had given me."

Unfortunately, I had not. _"You may,"_ I seemed to have breathed before our corrupt act, the regrettable words echoing in my ears like a faint mocking whisper.

"But you cannot . . ." I stopped. "Y-You knew of Ayana?"

"I smelled her last night."

"Yet you did not oppose of my plans to meet her?"

He scoffed as if I made a jest. "Did you really believe that you could escape the watch of my men?"

I stiffened, reminiscing the part of the day when I had almost been captured by the sun-kissed foreigner. "That was of your doing. He let me go."

"It was my order. You would not meet the witch if you were injured, then you would be of no use to me."

"A-And her spell? Were you aware of that as well?" At his smirk, I hurried my pace to reach him, outraged. "People were hurt, attacked!"

"I have existed for more than a millennia. Whatever scheme Mikael may have planned, I shall always have a better one to stand against it." His clear blue eyes flickered to me and I timidly looked away. "The note was not hard to miss, love. I had fun searching for that scrap of paper."

With a thousand thoughts in my head, I ignored the latter of his sentence. I could not let myself be distracted at the image of him _searching_ for anything in my body, and let out a shaky breath. Niklaus was more than capable of killing me where I stood. "Are you angry with me?"

"As deceptive as I found your choice to be, his distraction proved useful. He had never intended to attack _this_ village, but another."

"Ayana had lied then."

"No, I am certain Mikael had deceived her, and I cannot deny that I am impressed. It is a talent to mislead a witch with only the careful use of your words." A tremble went down my body as his voice dropped down to a sublime tone, claiming slyly, "Though I could not have done it without you."

"Done what?" I inquired with nervousness.

Instead of answering, he focused ahead. The smirk did not leave his pink lips and I grew more cautious of his sudden cheerfulness. There were no other bodies to encounter as we made our way to Lilly's home. That gave me an ounce of relief under the burden of guilt and fear. Niklaus was dangerous, yes, but in a forest filled with immortals from either side of the sparring family, it was the safer option to stay at his side. When we reached the small field behind Lilly's house, my attention was taken by the building smoke trail that pointed to the direction of Yvonne's abode. I ran forward to the middle of the meadow, scowling at the smell of fire from this distance.

_He has lied once again_, my conscience noted pointedly.

"You said he would not advance!" I impeached, worried for the fates of Emanuel and Magdalene. _What of Aunt Sylvia?_

"Tis not of my father's doing."

Whirling around, I gasped, "_You_ attacked them?"

I cringed away when the sun-kissed foreigner appeared out of nowhere, his arms outstretched to take Yvonne from Niklaus arms. The back way was left open from his abrupt exit. His bright hazel eyes met mine briefly with melancholy before disappearing, all in the same minute without saying a word. Niklaus did not pay extra attention to him as he left. "There were a few casualties in addition to them. Most were Yvonne's victims. It appears she has an insatiable appetite for a newborn." His words rang true that I oddly felt in my gut, but it did not lessen the seriousness of the assault. "I could not have Mikael be informed of my perception to his strategy. It was to be done or the risks would have been costly."

"What of Yvonne's parents?" When he remained dispassionate for their fates, I let out a cry. "They are dead!?"

"Your aunt is in safe hands."

_May they find peace_, I thought sadly as resentment filled my entire being. I spat, "One act of _generosity _does not correct lifetimes of offense!"

"I did not allege to be a saint, love. I am far from that - a demon, you once called me."

"No." I shook my head briskly. "I fear you are far worse than that-"

My breath got caught at the back of my throat when Niklaus suddenly stood in front of me, his hand clamped down on my forearm in a threatening grip. In his anger, his hold intolerably tightened, rendering a squeal that escaped from my mouth. I could not stagger backward as I was frozen, cursing the impulsiveness of my insult. His eyes were dangerously surrounded by red and black throbbing lines sprouted from the base of his bottom eyelids to the edge of his sharp cheekbones. If he was not angry then, he was certainly angry with me now.

Niklaus growled, the husky vibratos sending chills down my spine, "When had you gained such courage to speak to me that way?"

"Were y-you not the one to encourage spirit?"

He scoffed, his gaze lowering. "Shall I break what little courage you have before you become a thorn to my side?"

"L-Let go," I whimpered, quivering when he brushed his thumb over my bottom lip.

"If you fought my compulsion, do you not remember our kiss, love?" My heart sped up at his inclination, his face hardly inches from mine. At this proximity, I could see how truly blue his eyes were as his anger mollified and his inner demon vanished from my sight.

It was impossible for me to forget that. The remembrance of such passion that I had not experienced before, not even with Elijah, was recalled more than fluently in my mind. Even with his disclaims to human emotions and our weaknesses, Niklaus either gave everything or nothing at all. I felt that all in his kiss which triumphantly overwhelmed me that afternoon. Elijah, on the other hand, was careful and disciplined; he was wary of his emotions, keeping them on a leash of sorts. As frightening as it was to think that I was attracted to Niklaus, he was unstable, quick-tempered, and sadistic. He had instigated the deaths of Emanuel and Magdalene.

I shoved him back to no avail. "N-No, Niklaus, wait-"

"It would be wise to unhand her, brother."

We both turned to see a frowning Henrik. He was supposedly my savior, but he made no move to confront or oppose his older brother. The blue-eyed blond did not seem annoyed but amused at his interruption. "Little brother, finally. I was wondering when you would show yourself."

I felt my face heat up. Henrik had been watching from afar? At his lack of surprise, I guessed he too had knowledge of the kiss between Niklaus and I. Then what else could he be hiding from me? "A magnificent lure, Klaus, though it also would not be honorable for me to leave a maiden at the mercy of your aggressive tendencies, especially alone. I shall not make the same mistake again."

"Always the sympathetic one." Niklaus murmured, sounding disappointed for a short while.

I could not help but sigh in pleasure when my arm was released, cradling the swelling bruise to my chest. The youngest of the two abruptly appeared next to me, inspecting the depth of my wounds. "You are hurt."

Fighting back a flinch, I argued, "I am fine. My cuts will heal in time." Its bold translation: I need not kiss you or anyone.

"Will you be so understanding when you learn that Heidi has been visited by an able-bodied witch who can tell her of her origins?" Niklaus asked.

To my confusion, Henrik was slightly alarmed. "When was this?"

"Last night, and our dear had taken it upon herself to return the favor this morning."

"Then the curse was planned? For Heidi?"

Niklaus' gaze met mine. "She now knows what she is."

"Nature's reincarnation," I whispered, shy to even raise my voice under their attention.

A look of mischief settled on his face. "Yes. Now, Henrik, would you wish to inform Heidi of the rest of her story, or shall I?"

Weary of the answer, I inquired nonetheless, "What is it that you two speak of?"

Henrik glanced at me with disgrace and yielded silently. Accepting his younger brother's defeat with another haughty grin, Niklaus was more than happy to toss me a silver piece of jewelry. "Familiar?"

It sent soft thrills through my body at one single touch and I recognized it as my choker, the one I had foolishly left in my room. I caught Niklaus nod and scrutinized the metal flower at his voiceless command, inspecting each curve and link much to his impatience. When I flipped it over, I saw what he wanted me to notice. It was a beautiful engraving of two unique and familiar names; Laelia and Nikanor. I felt so much sorrow from this sole object in my hands and I did not doubt this had been a gift between two lovers.

"You were the one to give it to me," I realized aloud, remembering the last piece of the puzzle. After the confession, the kiss, the feeding of blood; he had bestowed this to me and tied it around my neck himself as assurance. "You are Nikanor."

"What else do you _feel_? What does your empathy tell you?"

The truth that I had felt with each of their words had been the cause of _empathy_? Was that how I knew they were honest - witches or immortals? "I thought you had given up on her, given up on love _because_ of her." I heard Henrik interject, almost desperate.

"I have," was Niklaus' steady reply. "That has not changed."

"Then why bother?"

"Why _not_ bother, Henrik? Why _not_ be daring?" He shot back nonchalantly. "How will she affect the odds to Mikael's favor? I desire to humor our father, for I find it utterly entertaining that he assigned Ayana to break the repetitive curse placed on each of nature's counterparts. Thanks to her interference, she is open-minded to what we have to say."

"That is reckless of you," Henrik disagreed. "Laelia was not inclined to you at first."

"What is your reason for your reluctance? Is there something you wish to hide?" Niklaus taunted, finally earning Henrik's silence. When his regard returned to me, he seemed unsettled at the mounting tears in my eyes, but grudgingly pleased.

"I can comprehend why you have mistaken me for her." I uttered out, pressing my blunt nails into the intricate designs of the pendant. The idea of reincarnation suggested an unending cycle, and _that_ would require an antecedent before its heir - before _me . . ._ "You knew me as Laelia, did you not?"

Something odd crossed his features that I could not distinguish. "Yes. I did."

I swallowed, tense. "Right . . . so you say." I had expected such an answer, but accepting it was another matter. Only recently learning of my supernatural status, it was difficult to take in anymore surprises like this.

Niklaus and I had been lovers - possibly in every sense of the word, but I reminded myself that was not the case today. I could not picture myself with Niklaus, clearly neither did he at the sight of his strained sneer. As I stood beside the blue-eyed blond, my feelings for his older brother endured. I remained to be very much enamored by Elijah despite his cold reactions. Trying to act practical, I could not look past Elijah's imperfections and the side of him - the one that murdered without a second thought - still terrified me for I would never understand his characteristic to kill. Then again, I too had a dark side as I remembered that horrid hunger for more energy and power.

Perhaps we were all monsters with human hides. "And Rehema?" I found myself asking.

"H-How do you know of her?" Henrik inquired in delicate awe.

"Twas Ayana who enlightened me, most likely hearing this from Mikael himself. They were working together." I remarked before exhaling sharply, composing my distress. "Rehema was the originator of the reincarnation line, or so she said."

He nodded. "From Rehema's death came Berenike, then Laelia, and then you. There is no blood relation, but I suppose that is how it works."

My blood turned to ice. "You . . . You spoke of Berenike,"

Henrik realized the slip of his sentences and was immediately uncomfortable. At the corner of my eye, I guardedly observed Niklaus who was, no doubt, enjoying this more than he should have. "Oh, sweet Berenike. A rare beauty she was, more so than the others."

"Pardon?"

The blond cooed to both Henrik and I, "She was the object of Henrik's passion and the fiancée of Elijah; the cause of the first of many disputes between the eldest and the youngest of brothers. How sickly ill-fated for the three of you." My shock must have been explicit for Henrik to show concern.

_Berenike had been a past life of mine?_

"Did she love you?" I demanded, recalling the way Rebekah tensely acted at having me caught between her brothers' attentions. It seemed far-fetched then, the thought of me holding their regards, but at Henrik's silence, I immediately feared the worse. "She did . . . didn't she? Beatrice loved you too."

"Wait-"

"N-No. Do not touch me." I backed away from his touch, whirling on my feet and heading directly to Lilly's home.

My chest began to throb as I was hurt by their continuous dishonesty. I did not know where I desired to go for anywhere provided freedom from this degradation, but I could not stay with either of them. Finally apprehending Rebekah's urgency of her caution, I was disenchanted with the siblings, perhaps _all_ of them; she too was conscious about the twists in my fates - how _wrong_ it was for her brothers to have used me in such a lecherous way. I almost choked when Henrik materialized in front of me.

"Let us explain,"

"No, not anymore. I do not want to listen."

"Heidi-"

In my discord, the winds picked up and I managed to shove him from my path. "I do not wish to hear your logics of treating me like the common whore!" I exclaimed without heed before dashing to my refuge. I did not slow down until I was safely locked within the four walls of the bedroom. A mere wooden door would not stop them from entering, but if they respected me - as much as they could after all the lies they threw at my face - they would leave me be.

I lied down on the mattress, mute, as the day passed on from the window. "Unbelievable," I cried into my pillow, realizing my circumstances in dismay. My help was never needed and the attack Niklaus had ordered was already over before I reached the village. I had failed myself. _Who am I to believe now? Ayana who was fooled or the siblings who have survived Mikael's plans?_

My stomach grumbled with hunger and my throat dried from thirst, but I lingered within my thoughts, unmoving. If I was unequivocally destined to forget anything before my life in this present, then how would I have known my relationships in my past lives? Could they not have been honest and fair with me from the beginning? Why would three separate immortals fight for a single girl, for _me_? I did not see myself worthy for Elijah's attention, how much more Niklaus' and Henrik's . . . Were they not attentive to Ayana's beliefs that our relationships were strange, even aberrant? Not only did I feel played or used, but I was ashamed.

I had been infatuated with three different men during four different lifetimes; but did that make things any right? _No,_ I decided to myself, not daring to use my voice. _It does not._

"Heidi?" I heard Rebekah's voice against the door. Betrayal flooded my veins. To distract myself, I looked up to the window, learning it was past sunset. The shadows were gathering at the corners of the room and without the light the candles offered, I was alone in the dark. Rebekah may have had good intentions to protect her brothers, but it was with the cost of tormenting me with distrust and indignity. "I am sorry."

_The fragile trust is broken. . . . _Languidly, I faced away from the doorway and snuggled into the warm covers, half of me hoping it would swallow me whole and alive.

I suppose all of us were at fault with the consequences and their results, even with the centuries that progressed between Rehema and I. But how could I ever face them again? It seemed as if someone had discovered the answer to my woes. I shot up from the bed when the door opened, its rusty hinges gritting in friction. Much to my surprise, my glare set on Elijah - a mixture of blues, purples, and greens clashing against warm dark brown. It was days since he sought my company and he chose the moment that I ironically did not desire his; but even in my irascibility, I could not lie and say I did not miss him.

_But he has used you_, a voice reminded me. He understood my lack of greeting after he called my name. Mercifully, Elijah did not move any closer to test my comfort and kept his distance. Rebekah had left, it seemed. _Good. I am not sure if I could handle speaking with one more liar._

His tone was gentle but stern as he said, "We have much to discuss. May we talk?"

* * *

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2010

"Hey . . ."

Shutting my locker shut with a bang, I turned to see Tyler awkwardly standing behind me. His hands were deep in his pockets and his shoulders were scrunched together as he carefully considered his next words. The ugly yellowish bruise on his face was nearly gone, returning his skin to its usual dark tan. He looked better but lonely now that Matt and I were avoiding him during classes, even today when school was over. We were gathering over to the cafeteria to plan on the Founder's Day floats. I guess he was tired with Aimiee and Sarah's company, just as I was honestly. All they ever talked about were booze and boys, the latter probably being a nightmare to endure for Tyler.

Not really sure on how to feel about seeing him, I nodded. "Good afternoon."

He seemed to accept that I was still irritated about the Founder's Day Event. "It's been a while."

"Yeah, it has."

"Look," Tyler began uncomfortably, "about the thing with Matt's mom, I'm sorry."

"Typically, but you're saying sorry to the wrong person." I rolled my eyes when he didn't say anything else - most likely out of hesitancy - and headed off to the cafeteria. I was starting to regret ever letting Bonnie and Caroline go ahead just for my history textbook. History was my worst subject while it was Winnie's best. He didn't need a five pound book as a constant reminder beside him during Alaric's class like I did. Tyler trailed after me, persistent. "I know we're going the same way, Tyler, but it doesn't mean you can _walk_ with me."

"I don't get your deal, Char. We make out, you say you want to be friends, then all of a sudden, you're playing the jealous girlfriend."

"You think I'm jealous?" I repeated with a hint of disbelief. _Talk about high school drama. _The rumors about our supposed relationship had yet to die, but they hardly were worth any thought. I was a bit disheartened it was taking this long to disappear.

"Are you?"

"That's not what this is about. I meant what I said about being friends, and I like you - which you should honestly be grateful for since I don't particularly like a lot of people - but you ruined Matt's relationship with his mom." Especially when I was sore about that particular subject.

He pressed, "And I'm sorry for that,"

"Again, you're apologizing to the wrong person."

"Matt," Tyler sighed. "He won't talk to me."

"He has good reason to."

"Char, please. I really think I ruined it with him."

I glanced over my shoulder to see his dejected expression, not allowing any sympathy to seep into my body and ultimately failing. Since my long talk with John last night about forgiveness and sincerity, I was unwillingly in a merciful mood. Tyler was lucky today. "Then be annoyingly stubborn like you are right now. So far, it's kind of working." When I saw the twitch at the corner of his mouth, I added hastily with emphasis, _"Kind of."_

Tyler insisted on, poking my side childishly. "So, do you forgive me?"

"Ow," I grumbled, fighting back a laugh. "Yeah, we're cool." It didn't deflate his grin when I warned him about the conditions not to pester me so much if he wanted to continue being friends, and that was the end to our short period of awkwardness. We spent the short walk catching up on our irritation toward the snobby teachers of Mystic Falls High and to his agitation for his father - drinking buddy gossip, in other words.

It wasn't my first time hearing about Mayor Lockwood - my first being the day Tyler and I had gotten drunk and words freely flowed from Tyler's mouth. _That_ was the start of a serious friendship that we both didn't plan for. I could tolerably relate to his daddy issues, though I had never been hit by my father before, and I was more than furious when I heard about it happening again, learning that it had been his father who had struck him recently. At the oath of silence Tyler had forced out of me - his makeshift way of cleaning up his slip, I unwillingly stayed silent.

A group of students were already present as we entered the cafeteria, and I even took note of Bonnie, Caroline, and Matt at one table. Caroline shot me a pointed look when she noticed Tyler next to me, but welcomed us nonetheless. The tension between the two guys was easily brushed aside once Caroline declared her high expectations on the float for Miss Mystic Falls, confessing that light colors were perfect for her skin tone. Bonnie and I could only force a laugh out at her enthusiasm.

When Alaric gave out papers filled with information about the Founder's Day parade, we shared an uncomfortable glimpse at the other's face. He was fixed on keeping what I wanted to know from me. I had tried to get the chance to talk to him throughout the school day, but he evaded my way when he could, even in class. Alaric just didn't comprehend how _important_ it was for me to learn about my mother before her downfall to alcohol. It was my guilty secret that no one, not even Winslow, knew about.

"You okay?" I heard Bonnie whisper under Alaric's speech. She had sensed my uneasiness when her hand brushed over my forearm by chance. Our bond between witch and nature's mortal form had gotten closer after Stefan's capture.

At her questioning look, I replied dismissively, "Fine. I just want to get this meeting over with."

Caroline gasped dramatically. "Oh, come on, Chardonnay. Don't be a spoil sport."

"Yeah, Char," Matt joked lightly. "If we're going through with this, suffer quietly like the rest of us."

She pouted. "This isn't a joke. It's _crucial_ I don't look like an idiot the day after tomorrow."

"Which is impossible,"

"Aw," Caroline sighed before patting his arm. "I know you know that, but do others? I don't think so."

We exchanged pained smiles at the work load she'd push us to do and returned listening to our history teacher. "Listen up, these are guidelines from the history department - the requirements are there, the _rules_ are there. Don't do anything that'll ruin this for anyone, alright?" Pleased with the response he got from the crowd, Alaric continued, "For the float, we'll be doing the the battle of Willow Creek. I've nominated Tyler to be the head of the production design, so Tyler, be _very_ creative. Pick your team, try not to screw up, and, well, have fun."

He shifted on his feet at the looks he was getting. "Erm, Mr. Saltzman, I'm not, uh, really into the whole thing-"

"Tyler, I've seen your drawings. They're pretty good if you asked me."

I turned to him with interest. "You draw?"

"Sometimes," Tyler stood up to take the sheet from our history teacher. "But it's not exactly public knowledge."

"I think it's cool," Caroline put in, encouraging Matt to do the same. I was starting to share her objective of trying to get the guys back on track with their friendship, but it wasn't showing any positive results. Matt could only manage a tense nod before walking off to plan with the others. Caroline nudged Tyler forward before strutting away with Bonnie, expecting me to come along wordlessly. "Er, let's go to the library. We have lots to research on if we want the float to be absolutely perfect."

"Yippee," Bonnie faked cheer.

Before I could however, I caught Alaric's look at my direction that said to follow him outside instead. To my surprise, Stefan and Elena were next to him, wearing similar expressions of foreboding. "What's going on?" I asked once we reached the safety of his classroom. Alaric made sure to close the door behind us before watching us tiredly with a frown. His apprehension and anxiety were enough to be alarmed about without having to know the whole situation.

Elena caught my wary stare on her boyfriend and assured me, "He's back on animal blood, Char. He's alright."

"I'm better now." Stefan added in sheepishly, "I'm sorry for my behavior. I wouldn't have placed you in danger if I was in my right mind."

Noticing Elena's suspicion to what he meant about that, I remarked carefully, "But you didn't do anything damaging at all, Stefan. Maybe creeped me out here and there with your sudden optimism, but no harm done."

His lips twitched at my lame joke, a small smile that immediately disappeared when Alaric announced, "I saw Isobel last night."

Three pairs of wide eyes turned to him simultaneously in a mixture of confusion and incredulity. "Um, what?" Elena asked, trying to grasp what Alaric said with difficulty. "M-My mother, you mean? She's here in Mystic Falls?"

"She wanted me to arrange a meeting between you two, or she would start killing people."

"Sounds charismatic alright," I mumbled and avoided their frowns at my direction.

"Isobel just wants to talk to Elena. That's what she told me."

A distraught Elena leaned against the edge of a desk. "B-But why _now_?"

Stefan placed a comforting hand on her slender shoulder, troubled. "Does anyone pick up on how coincidental all of this is?"

I scoffed, glancing at Alaric's figure with caution. "There's nothing coincidental in Mystic Falls."

My history teacher scowled in reply, both of our gazes clashing together in a competitive glare. We both weren't backing down that easily. Before Stefan could start throwing off possibilities in the air - pointedly ignoring the tension in the air, the door swung wide open to reveal a smirking dark-haired vampire. "Sorry I'm late, Mr. Saltzman. My doggie ate my, er," Damon shook his head at our dirty looks, "never mind."

Being the animal lover I was, I snorted. "You don't have a dog."

"Tough crowd."

"I thought you locked the door," I almost whined to my history teacher who shrugged.

"Thanks for coming, Damon," was all he said.

"Oh, yes, don't need to make me feel welcomed, Char. I thought we were better buddies than that, especially after last night." He walked up to Alaric's desk, crossing his arms over his muscled chest. "Okay, what's up with the moody atmosphere? Did someone's pet die or something? Hope it wasn't a squirrel. Stefan just adores them."

"Isobel's here. She confronted Alaric." Stefan sighed, tired of his brother's antics.

He paused. "You mean in town?"

"No, in the moon," I retorted.

Waving me off without a second thought, Damon inquired to Alaric with new enthusiasm, "Is she working with Johnny Boy then? Did you ask her about him?"

Alaric's dark eyes flickered to me apologetically before he answered, "No."

"No they're not? Or, no, you didn't ask?"

"I didn't ask."

"What about the invention?" He questioned, his gray-blue eyes narrowing.

He let out a sigh. "I have no idea."

"Does Isobel know about the tomb vampires? Was Henry lying?"

"I don't know."

Damon was starting to get the picture of his cluelessness and his jaw clenched in frustration. "Did words just _completely_ escape you, Ric?"

Alaric snapped, "No. I was a bit preoccupied about seeing my dead vampire wife appearing out of nowhere to ask any questions."

"Wait a minute. Did you meet her at the grill? Was she that woman with dark hair, gray eyes, kind of short?" I asked. Taking note of their unanswered queries, I explained quickly, "I think I bumped into her last night too after eating dinner with Winnie and Caroline. She was a vampire, that I could tell, but I thought she was just passing by through town. I didn't think she'd be Isobel."

"A vampire in Mystic Falls and you didn't tell me right away? What did you think? She was driving by to pass out candy and chocolate?" Damon demanded, a little too harshly.

"Hey," I bit back defensively. "I'd like to believe not everyone I cross paths with doesn't have some supernatural agenda against my friends."

"Nevertheless, Isobel's here and fighting won't change that fact," Stefan interrupted, eyeing us cautiously as if we would start throwing punches right then and there. "We don't know why she's here or what she wants aside from the meeting."

"She wants to see Elena?" Damon clarified.

Alaric added in, "Isobel threatened to kill my students."

"Oh, yeah, I could see how that would be a problem for you guys, but I don't know _why._ Most of them are ungrateful, hormonal little brats." Damon turned to the pretty brunette. "You don't have to meet her if you don't want to. No one here can force you to do that."

Stefan, Alaric, and I exchanged puzzled looks at his abrupt sensitivity. _Since when is he considerate to anyone's comfort? _Elena inhaled, her face set with determination. "I don't have a choice, Damon. Besides, I want to talk to her. I know that if I don't, I'll end up regretting it, wondering _what if_ for the rest of my life."

"Ah, yes. Those damned two words," he muttered distastefully. "She's _your_ mother. Personally, I don't care if a bunch of students drop dead. Do whatever the hell you want."

"We'll support your decision," Stefan agreed.

When she turned to me like a child seeking approval, I rolled my eyes again. This was a reminder that I was officially part of their group now - that my thoughts on the matter were somewhat significant. Truthfully, I was overwhelmed with that whenever it occurred to me that I was _needed_. "It's not like you'll say no anyways."

Elena nodded, looking at Alaric before her gaze interestingly returned to Damon. "I'll do it."

At the corner of my eye, I detected Stefan's hint of a frown. He seemed bewildered at the way Elena and Damon got along with each other so out of the blue. I was as well, but I wasn't envious, only a bit worried with the way things were going down. It would be a matter of a few days until Winnie would get catched up in all of this, and I was honestly dreading the day when it came. Stefan was flustered when he caught my stare. "It's natural," I blurted out unhelpfully before leaving after Alaric. The picture of his astonishment was priceless.

Deciding to ditch the rest of planning that went down in the cafeteria and football field, we separated to two cars and drove to the grill. I had to delete a few texts from a furious Caroline when she realized I was skipping out on participating with the float. Bonnie and Matt soon followed up with messages on their own, complaining it wasn't fair I didn't add them on my plans to ditch. It was only with Bonnie did I tell to meet me at the Mystic Grill afterwards. She was more than happy to agree. I was disappointed when Winslow didn't even notice my absence, even disgusted when Bonnie informed me that he was glued to Nicole's side in addition to the sophomore crowd of jocks and cheerleaders.

Trying not to add to my clear irritation, Alaric decided it would be best for Damon and I to wait outside, leaving Stefan alone to watch over Elena. Damon, of course, argued until both men stiffened at someone's nearing presence. A woman passed by us - Isobel, from the looks of it. Taking a closer study of her, I could see a few aspects of Elena's features on her. She was indeed Elena's biological mother. I also took note of the oval blue pendant that rested on her chest, crucially similar to Damon and Stefan's daylight rings.

I was abjectly tempted to rip it off from her, curious to how she would fare under the sunlight. There was something about Isobel that made me cringe away out of jealousy. _But why?_

"Ric, Damon," she tilted her head to the side, observing. "It's moderately intriguing to see you again."

Damon faked a smile, slouching on his seat. "Lovely Isobel. You've sure gotten prettier."

"Always the charmer. You say that to all the girls."

"Ha, must be the blood getting to me."

"Isobel," Alaric managed to greet tightly, his grip on the chair's arms tightening.

She smiled in response. He tensed beside me when her gray eyes lowered to meet mine, her thick dark eyelashes fluttering seductively for the men in front of her. "I suppose you're Chardonnay Blackburn, a new friend of my daughter's, the Salvatore brothers . . . and my husband."

I didn't cower and challengingly kept her gaze, getting the idea she was trying to intimidate me in a discreet manner. If it had been during the days I was still shaky with the news of their vampiric existence, it probably would've worked. "Obviously."

"Huh. Did you tell her Ric?" She inquired.

"Tell me what?"

The frown was noticable in his voice as he said, "Nothing important."

"I'd like to disagree," Isobel noted with a slight smirk, tucking a loose strand of silky black hair behind her ear gracefully, "but that's not why I'm here for. Is Elena inside?"

"Waiting for her mom like the perfect daughter you never took cared of," Damon recklessly quipped in amusement. _Now there's the elder Salvatore that was missing this morning. What happened to the kinder one? _I wanted to bash him in the forehead with the napkin dispenser, and from the peek I risked at Alaric's face, so did he apparently.

"I see you haven't lost that arrogance of yours."

He mockingly shrugged. "Well, you know me. I can't resist showing off my flair."

Before entering the grill, she warned, "Take one step inside and I won't hesitate to kill everyone in the restaurant. Don't interfere."

"She's a keeper, that one," Damon jeered as she slipped past the double doors, sarcasm literally dripping off his words. "I still think we should be in there."

I made a face. Anywhere near Isobel was a no-no for me. It was obvious she knew what Alaric was hiding from me, but despite that, there was no denying that she was dangerous. Not only was she a vampire, but she openly held no regard for human life like Stefan did, or what little Damon secretly attempted to mirror for Elena's sake. "Did you not just hear her?"

"She made it painfully clear, Damon. _Don't interfere_." Alaric rubbed the back of his neck wearily. He avoided looking my way, hence ignorant of my glares.

"I'm not going to kill her in there with all those people eating." Damon teased," I like to make my kills without any witnesses. It makes the whole process of it much easier."

"You're not going to kill her_ period_."

"Talk about interesting. You're still going to protect her after she ruined your life?"

"She's my wife," Alaric replied simply, then faltered at our raised eyebrows. "I mean, _was _my wife. Now that I think about it, she may look as she did before she turned, but she isn't _there_. Whoever that girl is inside, she isn't the woman I married. She's emotionless, cold."

"That's called turning off her humanity."

He groaned into his hands. "Ugh. I don't understand that. Stefan's the good guy, he has his humanity on. And you . . . er-"

"You're a dick," I finished bluntly. Alaric didn't even scold me, acknowledging what I said in agreement.

"Why, thank you, sweetie," Damon grumbled.

"My pleasure."

Alaric's expression scrunched together in concentration; like he was thoroughly reliving their encounter in his head as if he had missed something before. "Isobel was empty. There was nothing in her. It was like talking to a shell."

Damon said without care, "She's a vampire now, Ric. She has the choice whether to remove it from her conscience or keep it on like Stefan."

I bit my lip, torn between snapping at Alaric for selfish answers about my mother or comforting him about his wife. Remarkably, considering my discomfort with mushy things, I chose the latter once again. "Anyone can see she flipped the switch, Ric." _Move on._

"With Stefan, he wants to experience the whole drama of typical human life. This time it's totally about high school. He wants the excitement, the highs and lows, practically the angst of the average teenager. The thing you have to consider is it's a vampire's intuition to take the easier road, to not feel anything at all - free of the guilt, the shame, the god-awful wave of regret. It's like a button you can press to turn it _all_ off, and it's just that easy."

"So my wife chose the easier road," my history teacher said aloud.

"Wouldn't you?" The blue-eyed vampire questioned.

"You haven't." I adverted. "There's the tiniest shred of it within you. Like tiny, _minuscule_ - very, very small."

"I get it." He remarked, getting up to my seat to stretch. "But you have to realize that there's gotta be a reason I'm just so fun to be around, isn't there?"

Alaric didn't seem impressed. "Where are you going?"

"To have fun. Call you two later."

We watched with conflicted feelings as Damon disappeared around the corner to his sports car. Without the third person in our party, Alaric and I drifted to a short moment of silence. The incoordination of this occurrence was hushed torture. I made a decision to break the silence after it was palpable that Alaric wasn't going to say anything else, especially to me. "I'm not going to stop trying to figure out whatever it is you're keeping from me," I declared boldly.

He finally spared me a glance and didn't bother to evade the subject anymore. "Has it never crossed your mind that I'm probably saving you from experiencing a disappointment in your life?"

"It's my mom." I discredited, paying no attention to the growing ache in my chest. It had gotten a little easier now that I spoke with John, but I couldn't deny that it still hurt. "She's been a disappointment for most of my life already. Whatever it is, it's not going to change anything-"

I jumped when Alaric shot up from his seat, the screeching of metal against the concrete making me cringe back. His strife was apparent as he rigidly paced a few feet away, his hands clenched into fists until his knuckles turned white. His reactions alone were starting to make me uneasy. "Char, can't we just agree to disagree?" He asked tediously. "We have other things to worry about without having to talk about her . . . about your mother."

"So you knew her?"

Alaric turned to me, his lips in a thin straight line. "Yeah. I knew her."

"And you were - what? - ashamed because of that?"

"No," he retorted, actually shocked at that implication. "No, _no_. Of course not. I wasn't ashamed, Char. Just, erm, caught off guard."

_Then what was his deal?_ I stared at him fastidiously. "Okay then. Fine. Agree to disagree." I allowed myself to relax in my seat, remorsefully relieved. To be honest, I could wait for the news I wasn't really prepared for. "But once Isobel is gone, Ric, don't expect me to forget."

He nodded rather reluctantly. "If you really were your mother's daughter, then I expected that much."


	22. Beyond What Is Known

_The complications are finally over for now! Thanks for reading this far and thanks for waiting! Anyways, be excited for Varvara's story! She's coming back and with her, a very good storyline - hopefully - but you guys will be the judge of that. Expect a lot; this story is far from over. Did a lot of editing in past chapters, but no major changes. Please leave a comment - it'd make my day:)Sorry if anything is out of character, this was rushed, but we're **finally** getting to the good parts. My longest chapter yet. **Happy New Year's Eve/Day! **Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Beyond What Is Known**

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2010

"C'mon! Hurry up!" I heard Caroline groan from afar. Glancing back, I saw that she was ordering a few pitiable sophomores around with the white sparkles for the Miss Mystic Falls float. "They're not going to be glued by themselves, are they? It's tomorrow and we're not even halfway done! So chop-chop!"

My younger brother looked worried out of the blue. "Bad decision," he said with pressed lips as a brave sixteen year old complained to the blonde.

"I don't care," we heard Caroline snap irritably.

"If she's trying to motivate them, she's doing a horrible job."

"More like she's trying to murder them," I commented dryly.

They were sweating guns under the heat like everyone else in the football field. It was filled with half-finished floats in need of paint, decorations, and that special _thing_ Caroline liked to call pizazz. Elena, Stefan, and Bonnie had yet to appear and I was starting to believe they were purposely missing out on the preparations. I didn't get lucky to ditch again when Caroline woke up extra early to order Winslow and I to get dressed, gobble up breakfast, and head out the front door in the next half hour. We were picked up by Tyler by my request and had spent the ride trying to encourage the poor guy to just _talk_ with his lost best friend; he was still fighting with Matt.

Winslow snorted beside me, carrying the boxes of glue guns that were generously given by a freshman pre-algebra teacher. "The float has to be finished first, Char. Extra labor, and if things go smoothly after the parade, then civil execution. They'll be greatly missed though; I guess that counts."

"_Ha!_ Aren't they your classmates?"

With a shrug, he remarked, "Better they face the wrath of Caroline than I. To be honest, she's scaring me with her domineering tendencies to scream and lecture all at the same time."

Recalling the patronizing speech my second cousin had given me yesterday after returning from the grill, I found myself agreeing. "That's Caroline for you." She could be vicious if she wanted to be when things didn't go her way, a trait I was starting to admire. We reached the table crowded with paper and knickknacks for the parade and dropped the boxes off with the rest of the supplies, going to our assigned float that wasn't dictated by Caroline.

Much to my satisfaction, Nicole Armstrong was at the opposite side of the football field with the rest of her cheerleading and artsy friends. I could imagine her irritation with sharing her boyfriend's attention, but as petty and greedy as it sound, she had to learn that I came first to Winslow; and I just _loved_ shoving it in her face. Besides, it was my turn to hang out with him after all the days she annoyingly captured his consideration. During their first days together, I had believed that she was his rebound girl after _her_ and that incident in New York. I was sorely mistaken when I noticed Winslow glance back at the redhead with a fond smile. Then again, when I was around Winslow, I couldn't help but feel guilty.

I hadn't told him anything concerning our mother - like John's appearance or Alaric's past knowledge of the sober Beatrice Archer - and it wasn't only because I was uncertain with how he would react; his relationship with her was similar to that of our father's and mine. As I openly claimed to loathe William Rudolph Blackburn, Winslow had done the same toward our mom. It was no secret that our parents hooked up in secret for several years before ever getting engaged and married, making Winslow and I the illegitimate children of the Blackburn family until they finally decided to tie the knot a few months after Winslow's birth.

We weren't sure whether it was arranged by themselves or by our disapproving grandparents - who would have rather died than have their son disgrace the family name; _oh, the irony_ - but at the way things ended up sixteen years later, their supposed love just died out. _Our happy family . . ._

Suddenly, I was nudged forward by my younger brother and straightened up, presuming Caroline was behind me - ready to scold for something wrong I'd done. I had been lost in my thoughts, my hands absentmindedly sticking ruffles of thin wrapping paper at one side of the float. So far, no mistakes. "Hey, your phone is ringing."

"Oh." Swiping on the unlock tab, I read Bonnie's text: **Hey. Meet me inside class C-02. I found something major. **"Er, would it be okay if I just left?"

Winslow looked up from his work, his eyebrow arched in amusement. "And what? Leave me alone with all this stuff to do?"

_"Please?"_

Before I could leave, he called out, "Wait! Erm, there's been a few things going on around here that's kind of weird, and I've been meaning to talk to you about them."

My heart quickened in anxiety. Did Isobel confront him? I risked a peek at his hand, relieved when he was wearing the vervain ring Elena had given him. Then my stomach shifted uneasily when I realized I was also mildly disappointed. A part of me - very, _very_ deep down inside of me - wanted him to perceive what was really happening in this small Virginia town. I swallowed tensely, taking a moment to compose myself. _Okay, so he hasn't been compelled - a commendable start. _Aware that it wasn't anything relating to the supernatural, I relaxed. "Uh, okay, what do you mean_ weird_?"

"For one thing, you haven't tried to publicly humiliate Nicole - at all. And you like public humiliations."

"What? No, I don't."

"Er, yes, you do. You're acting . . . different."

Pausing, I gave his unexpected reply some thought; it had been my so-called _thing_ when we were in New York. Then again, we weren't in the Big Apple anymore, so couldn't this rumored 'new me' count as a change for the best? From the small time Winslow and I spent together at home, I barely knew what went on in his life anymore - not as much as before anyways. Even with all of the vampire business, our separation also stressed me out. Teenage matters about high school popularity and the excitement for crashing senior parties didn't matter anymore. They seemed so insignificant compared to real life dangers and near-death experiences.

I honestly couldn't do this double life scenario; it wasn't exactly my style. I liked to brag shamelessly about my accomplishments, and not keep them to hidden because I couldn't include that I stretched my limitations on vampires who played as the test subjects. _Superman was kidding himself with Lois Lane. _Straightening up from my crouch at his observation, I played the clueless card and scrunched my face together in faux bewilderment.

"So . . . you actually want me to drive her out of town? Does that mean you're giving me permission?"

"No, Char." He rolled his eyes at my attempt to evade the subject. "But you don't seem like you care."

"Of course I care. You're my brother." I instantly answered, incredulous at his allegations. "Just because I haven't tried yet doesn't mean I won't in the future. I don't have the time to set it up, but I've been planning something nasty for your girlfriend if it makes you feel any better."

"It doesn't."

"Then at least consider that you're with Nicole - as horrid as that sounds - and that shockingly, I actually have friends." When he was silent, I continued, "We're moving on like we had agreed to, and that also means we won't have much time to spare with each other." I crossed my arms, getting apprehensive. "What brought all of this on anyways? It's been weeks since we moved here and this is the first I've heard about this."

To my surprise, Winslow looked upset. He slowly pursed his lips, deciding to answer with, "It's was only a recent thought, nothing important or whatever. I guess even after expecting change, it's a little overwhelming sometimes."

I snickered. "It caught up to you, huh?"

He didn't laugh much to my alarm, nervously running his hand through his black hair. As he pulled himself to his feet, Winslow took advantage of his height to tower over me intimidatingly. "Char," I froze at the apologetic tone in his voice. "Dad called yesterday."

My hands instinctively clenched into fists, the humor leaving my body. "And?"

"He mentioned a few things - like the future, the rest of my high school years, and _college_." Winslow hesitated before continuing at the sight of the impatience on my face, "Dad offered to take me back to New York."

_"What?"_

"He thinks this is me trying to make some kind of point; my rebellious stage, in other words."

"Then what did you say?"

Winslow assured me, "I refused. I have friends here, Nicole, and you - I wasn't about to leave _you_ here alone. Besides, I'm getting accustomed to Mystic Falls." At my softened expression, he questioned, clearly offended, "Why? Did you think I'd accept?"

As ecstatic as I was to hear that he declined, I confessed the dubiety he didn't deserve. "A little."

He seemed angered at first before he shook it off, fathoming - or at least _trying _to fathom - when he began to pace beside me. My younger brother was always the one with the bigger heart compared to both Guinevere and I, and I considerably felt egocentric with keeping him _tied_ here. He loved New York and all it had to offer, more than I ever did, obviously, and I had been the reason he left it in the first place. With all my indignation towards our dad, I had forgotten that Winslow was tolerably close with him - not as close like Guinevere had been - but close _enough_.

When Winslow calmed down, he stiffly turned to me. "Have you thought about New York once? About Gwin? _Mom?_"

My mouth formed a scowl. As self-reproachful as I felt, it didn't change the fact that I wanted Winslow to stay. I _was_ selfish and deceitful in personality - I never denied that no matter how many times people claimed I was honest - and neither did Winslow as a discerning glint flickered in his bright green eyes. This wasn't the clueless Winslow anymore; this was the other side of him, the one that had studied underneath our father's company - the rumored heir to his throne - and was brought up with our dad's presence alone. This was the Winslow who was intelligent, resourceful, and critically observant - not that he ever wasn't before.

_But at this state, he was frighteningly emotionless_, I corrected anxiously, _despite his compassion._

Winslow had _amazing_ control over his emotions and our father literally prized that very aspect about him, but there was always the risky chance that he'd adapt to be indifferent, learning to just live without experiencing each moment of _life_ itself. I assumed he had left that piece of him behind him like I had when we drove to the terminal the day we left New York, but it seemed that it lingered along with the memory of our father. We all had our shades of darker grays that we couldn't merely brush aside, but it felt like the past was haunting us.

"New York is behind us, Winnie, and no, I haven't. They certainly haven't thought about _us_, have they?" I found myself asking in my head, _is he aware with the things I didn't mention to him? Did he find out?_

". . . I guess not."

Tossing the glue gun to the ground and not waiting for a response, I walked back to Winslow and shoved the remorse to the back of my head. _Not yet_, I repeated in my head. _But soon he'll figure it out; both about our families and about the vampires._ "We'll hang out later, okay?"

He was hesitant but comprehended my reluctance to speak about our family or about our lives past Mystic Falls, finally nodding in consent when I used the puppy-dog eyes technique. "Fine, but be quick. If I die by Care's hands, you're not invited to my funeral."

I was more than happy to tease him in return, smirking at his well-dramatized disbelief. "I'll just crash then." Heading to the school buildings, I noticed Matt storming away from Tyler in anger. As much as I could afford going to Tyler and sympathizing like any friend who wasn't in one of her bitchy moods, I couldn't ignore the urgency of Bonnie's message. Imagine my surprise when I bumped into Elena in the hallway. "Oh - er, hey. What are you doing here?"

"Bonnie texted me to come," Elena answered. Then she paused, sheepish as she asked, "I haven't heard from you since yesterday, and I tried calling."

I put on a puzzled expression, trying not to feel bad about lying; my life was currently being crowded with them. "Huh? That's because my phone's been out of whack for a while. I just heard about Isobel from Stefan. He was mumbling on and on about the device? The pocket watch is a part of the whole device?"

Elena nodded, gullible. "So you're in the loop, good. She wants it, but I don't think Damon's going to give it to me even with her threats."

"If you're that worried-"

"Aren't _you_?" She shot back, her frustration leaking from her composure.

"Like you said, Damon's not going to give it to you so there's no use in weeping about it. Maybe if you give him a little something, get a room-"

"_Char!_ Be serious."

"It's called a distraction, Elena. It works on guys all the time, believe me." Blushing a little at my slip, I cleared my throat with discomfort. All the reminiscing with my younger brother was messing up with my head like it had when I spoke with John and Alaric. "Er, that's a no then?"

Disgruntled with the very idea, she scoffed and opened the door as we reached it, walking in ahead of me. "That's never going to happen. I wouldn't do that to Stefan."

"Right, the boyfriend. Heh, now that I think about it, Stefan would kill Damon. I'd actually like to see that." I grinned at Elena's disapproving glance.

To be honest, I was kind of keeping clear her the entire day, maybe a few pathetic attempts here and there to not cross her path. I went so far as ignoring her calls and texts, having Stefan fill me instead with what it was exactly that Isobel desired. She was dealing with an abandoned mother who knew - and could possibly taunt me - about Alaric's secret. Even if I wanted to find out whatever it was - the glorious prize of awareness, I didn't want to unravel _that_ much. With Elena trying to acknowledge the fact her mother didn't want her, that was perfectly corresponding to my own situation, and as compatible as we were to be the other's shoulder to cry on, I didn't want to go through that again.

I already found some sort of fragile peace when I talked to John days ago, getting over my mommy issues and gladly leaving the matter alone. It may have been unfair to Elena herself, but the last time I checked, I wasn't Miss Congeniality. Our gazes landed on Bonnie who was leafing through a thick grimoire. She looked up at our entrance from her seat, slightly smiling. "Hey, glad you guys could make it."

"Is that Emily's?" I had sensed its familiar energy before I entered the classroom.

A flicker of determination crossed her face. "Yeah, it was hers. Grams kept it and, um, I've been going through it. Lots of heavy stuff, I have to admit. I don't think I'll be able to do half the stuff in this book; the ingredients alone are just _freaky_."

I warned mockingly, "Careful there, Bonnie. You're beginning to sound obsessed."

"Very funny." She abruptly stood to her feet and pointed to one of the aged pages. "Anyways, I wanted to show you guys this. It's the device you told me about, Elena. At least, part of it."

"What does it say?" Elena asked curiously.

"The one who invented it-"

"Johnathan Gilbert," I clarified, testing her patience.

She shot me an exasperated look. "Yes, Char, Johnathan Gilbert. Well it says here that he never really invented anything - at least, anything successful. He didn't know that Emily enchanted everything with her magic; the rings, the pocket watch, that mystery device."

After scrutinizing the designs, Elena confirmed, "Yep. This one right here looks familiar. It's the one that Damon has."

"What about Katherine?" When they were puzzled at my question, I explained, "I thought witches usually avoided vampires, but that didn't stop Emily with working for her."

"Witches are very sincere with their promises - bordering strict. Katherine must've done something important to Emily to have made her pledge her loyalty, but regardless, Emily couldn't let people be killed whenever the vampires wished. It wasn't in her nature to accept the unbalance so this was the only way she could think of to help, making Johnathan and everyone believe that his inventions worked." Bonnie sighed, her eyes skimming the page. I watched as they widened at her discovery. "Um, are you sure that's what Isobel wanted from you, Elena?"

She inched closer. "Yeah, why? What does it say?"

"Nothing much - only that it's a weapon against vampires."

_Nothing much? _We stared at each other for a moment, surprised and doubtful. What would Isobel want with a vampire weapon when she herself was one? "This is getting serious," I said out loud, troubled. "If she wants this _weapon_, then she's obviously going to use it on someone."

Bonnie inquired, "Who do you think pissed of Isobel that bad?"

"Who the hell knows?" I retorted, leaning away from the table and pacing in front of them.

"What's up?" Elena questioned, earnestly intrigued with what I had to say. "Something's bothering you."

_Yes. My dad's seems to be interested in taking my younger brother away from me all of a sudden, and your mother wants a device that she won't get because of Damon's mistrust. If people start spilling blood, I'll probably be the first to strike. _"It's Winnie I'm worried about. I can't back out since we're all involved in this together, especially when Isobel's familiar with most of us-"

She disagreed fiercely, "Isobel isn't interested with my life, Char. She pretty much made that clear when she decided to become a vampire and threaten to kill everyone in Mystic Falls."

"Are you really that naive to believe that? Isobel's a researcher at heart, Alaric said so, and he's her husband."

"No," Elena snapped, surprising both Bonnie and I. "She can't. She couldn't be."

Before I could argue in return, my phone rang with a text from Winslow. It read: **Time's up. Care's on a rampage ovr here. Where r u? **After replying and having Elena deal with informing the Salvatore brothers, Bonnie and I walked back to the football field to keep up with appearances. "How are you doing?" I asked, letting worry color my voice. "I thought after Sheila you'd stick away from it, especially after Stefan's, er, breakdown."

Bonnie put up a good front and replied, "I may not like _them_ at all, but Elena's still my best friend; and it was kind of selfish of me to have left Elena when I did. She needed someone to talk to, and I just walked away from her."

"You lost your grandmother, Bonnie. It wasn't narrow-minded of you. And how can we think about this parade when all these _other_ things are happening?"

Her eyebrow arched at my annoyance. "How are _you_ doing? You've been tense these past few days."

"Stuff," I muttered, not meeting her eyes.

"You want to talk about?"

Hesitant with her offer, I shook my head with asserted confidence. "No, but thanks, Bonnie. I think I'll wait it out. I just can't wait until Isobel's gone and out of our lives. Things can't get anymore messed up."

When I studied her closely, she seemed more resolute than ever. "There you guys are!" Caroline appeared in front of us, her hands on her hips and her ardent blue eyes narrowing at us. "Where have you two been?"

I managed a carefree laugh, eyeing the empty spot where Winslow used to be. "Hey, Care. Uh, where's my brother?"

"Six feet under, that's what." She accused with a disbelieving snort, "He was stalling for you and thought I wouldn't notice."

"Seriously?"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "He's with Matt."

Bonnie grabbed a bag of sprinkles, casting one filled with glittering crimson to my hands. "We'll get on with it," she forced a smile under Caroline's scrutiny. We were nearing the safe zone until the irritated blonde interrupted our beeline to a random spot.

"Wait, you guys." Caroline wore a defeated look. "Am I . . . Am I _overdoing_ it? I-I was lectured by Matt earlier-"

"Oh,_ really_?"

Bonnie elbowed my side, shooting me a small glare to be quiet, and tried to persuade my second cousin. "No, no. You're enthusiastic about the parade, and, um, very vigilant with the preparations. It's what makes a star role model, right?"

"Are you sure?" When she nodded, Caroline was immediately impressed. "At least _you_ get it. This parade is just _so_ important, and I wish _everyone_ understood that!"

"I still don't get it," I teased, my lips threatening to curve to a smirk at her amusing reactions.

"Heh, she's kidding. We'll get to work over there." _Far away from any possible clashings between you two_, Bonnie would've added if Caroline wasn't already bordering the edge.

My dark-skinned friend tugged on my wrist as an attempt to stop me from saying anything else that I would later regret. We fixed up on an unpremeditated float until we couldn't feel the dwindling heat of my second cousin's evil eye, glancing back once in a while to make sure she wouldn't antagonize us without warning. Bonnie and I worked in silence, apprehending that there wasn't really much to say after the topics of vampires and anti-vampire weapons, but it wasn't awkward at all.

It was once things began to feel a tad bit normal that a scream erupted from the middle of the field. I whirled around at my feet to the sound of the pained yell, my startled gaze dropping to the float Matt and Winslow were assigned to prepare. "Winslow?" I cried out in dread. Bonnie was hot on my trails as we ran through the gathering crowd.

"Help me! _Ouch_, damn it. Guys! Get this trailer off me!"

"Oh, my God! Matt!" Caroline exclaimed somewhere nearby.

He gasped out, "M-My arm. Care, my arm - I think it's broken."

I accidentally barged past someone on my way, unwittingly igniting my nerves and my eyes widening when a chilly spark shot down my body. _A vampire_, my instincts informed me like it always had charily. Reaching out to grab the stranger - his wide back facing me, my heart nearly burst from my chest when someone else grabbed a tight hold on my elbow. "Hey, I'm here. I heard you shouting." Winslow murmured, trying to alleviate most of my worries a little too late.

"What happened?" I more or less demanded, breathless and a bit confounded. The stranger was too far for me to follow at the opposing current of the masses, and I was forced to disregard my gut telling me to question the second random vampire I came across.

"The wheel," he replied as the others tried to pull the float up without avail. Tyler joined up with the guys, combining strengths in vain when the bulging heavy piece of crap wouldn't move. Caroline would murder me if she heard my thoughts. "It was probably rusty and broke down from all the weight."

"Call the ambulance, Caroline," Stefan ordered, suddenly appearing in front of me. I couldn't have been more relieved to see him after our phone call yesterday. With Stefan's abnormal strength, Caroline, Winslow, and I managed to gingerly drag Matt away without agitating his severed arm. The green-eyed vampire and I exchanged meaningful glances and I easily caught the doubt in his face.

Hopping to my feet and leaving Winslow and Tyler to check the injury, I brought him to the side. Bonnie caught my affliction and followed wordlessly. "Stefan, there's another vampire here. It wasn't Isobel - he was a guy, but I have a feeling he's connected to this."

He scanned the area thoroughly with one smooth look. "That guy must be working for her then. This is her warning."

"Then that means she's getting impatient." Bonnie pointed out with supressed anger laced in her usually placid voice. "What are we going to do? How are you going to handle this?"

"Where's Elena?" Stefan questioned anxiously.

Before any one of us could answer, Caroline announced hurriedly as she snapped her phone shut, "They're coming in fifteen to twenty minutes. There's traffic around because of the parade tomorrow, so most of the roads are closed down."

Winslow shook his head in disagreement while Stefan delved deeper into the crowd to search for his girlfriend. "That's too long," he argued.

"I have a car," Tyler cut in. "I can take Matt to the hospital. It'll be faster."

"No, Care can take me there herself," Matt snapped, his cheeks flushed and his bottom lip quivering. I hadn't broken a bone in my life, but from the effort Matt made to hold back the whimpers, I wasn't expecting to anytime soon.

She frowned. "Tyler drove me here with Chardonnay and Winnie. I didn't drive."

"I'll wait. I can handle it."

"Suck it up!" I quipped in harshly when I saw Caroline's building vexation.

"Yes, _please_! You need to go to the doctor as quick as you can and Tyler will drive you there. End of story." When Matt opened his mouth to appeal for his reasons, my second cousin wore a hard scowl. "Don't argue with me. I'll go with you if that's what you want."

Tyler hastily left, saying, "I'll bring my car around."

We all looked at Bonnie in surprise when she said afterwards, "No, wait. Care, you stay here. Char can go with them."

"I'll _what_?" I challenged, crossing my arms.

"She's practically the brains of this operation. If she leaves, we won't be able to finish the floats without her, um,_ spirit_." At my obvious objection, she added quietly for my ears alone, "Winnie will be here to watch over Care. Besides, Isobel might try to hurt Matt again, or Tyler for that matter. Caroline won't match up to a vampire."

I hissed, "And Winnie?"

Bonnie answered with a tinge of leisure, "_I'll_ be here. Trust me."

About to reply that I _did_ hold an appreciable amount of faith toward her, I nodded, fighting back my own frown. I resisted the urge to grab her wrist to feel if she was telling me the whole truth, but it was clear - without my instincts - that Bonnie was hiding something from me, something she intuitively didn't want me figuring out. "Stay here," I muttered to Winslow who nodded.

Caroline pursed her lips, stuck between her boyfriend and her plans for the spotlight. "Take care of him, okay?"

"Of course," I assured not so helpfully.

When Tyler finally returned, I helped Matt into the passenger seat and climbed at the back. Tyler seemed bewildered when I told him I was coming too, but also eagerly accepting. It was like he didn't want to be alone with Matt. The drive was awkward, but we didn't need any conversation to fill in the lingering silence. Instead, Tyler and I were busy arguing about which road to take when we dilatorily heeded Caroline's words. Most of the roads had really been closed down for tomorrow and our swift arguments on choosing the correct route to use didn't dulcify Matt or his pain, especially when Tyler recklessly drove past a few red lights in our hurry.

When we managed to make it to the hospital in one piece, we rushed inside the waiting room where Matt was placed in another's care. I texted Bonnie, Elena, and the Salvatore with any news, but they didn't reply and that made me restless. "You okay?" Tyler queried, questioningly unsettled himself. "You're acting how Caroline would if she was here."

With my lips threatening to wear a smirk, I plopped back down on the seat with a sigh. Was Tyler jealous with my concern for Matt? "Nothing," I lied, thinking the fastest lie I could come up, and blurted out, "It's my dad."

_What the hell?_

Tyler was also caught off-guard with my confession. In our friendship, he was used to being the one talking with me only listening. Even drunk, I was somewhat careful with anything that had to do with my family. "What about him?"

My teeth gritted together. This wasn't a lie, but the truth. "He called - wanted Winnie to return to New York."

"Your brother?" He asked after I inclined my head the tiniest bit, "What's wrong about it? You'll miss him?"

I let out a scoff and tugged at the ends of my auburn hair, avoiding Tyler's eyes. Why was I confiding in him of all people? I would have expected Bonnie or Stefan to talk to relating with this, seeing as Bonnie was a witch and Stefan was already informed about my relationship with John. Settling with him to hear only that, I shrugged. "I guess that's it." _But it's more like our dad didn't want _me. I still hoped underneath all the anger I felt for him, and I always ended up disappointed as a result. Was I pathetic to have conflicting emotions toward one man?

"Is he moving then?"

"No." _Not that I'd let him._

Tyler smiled rather timidly. "At least you're staying."

Gradually, I returned it with strain, the guilt I gathered through the day eating me inside. "Yeah, at least I'm staying . . ."

After half an hour of hanging around, Tyler was held up by the secretary at the front desk. Our friend had suffered through a clean break on his lower arm, nothing a cast couldn't handle. I wandered off outside and waited for the guys, keeping an eye out for any other henchmen Isobel may have hired and wanting to give them some time to talk. The sun was setting over the horizon with only the street lamps providing me with light. Savoring the cool air, it soothed my nerves when neither of my friends were picking up their phones, or telling me what they had planned to stop Elena's psychopathic mother.

A smile broke on my face when my phone abruptly rang; it was as if it had sensed my distress. "Hello?" I greeted enthusiastically without checking the number identification.

"Good evening, Char," a voice replied sleekly. My blood turned icy, my heart slowing dangerously to an unsteady beat. In my shock, my grip had slackened on my phone.

"Isobel."

"You're a difficult girl to get a hold on. I've been wanting to speak to you for a while, but Ric's persistence has hindered any . . . face-to-face interaction; that tenacity of his is becoming an annoying trait, I have to admit. However, I'll take what I can get." There was a chuckle as she inquired mockingly, "How's Matt?"

I grimaced. "No better thanks to you."

Catching my tone of dislike, she sighed through the phone as if already bored. "He was merely an example to my daughter and her boyfriends, to you too truthfully."

"Well, message received."

"Would you give me such disdain if I told you what you wanted to hear?"

_About Ric? _Aggravated, I jeered, "Look, I don't have any interest to listen to whatever you have to say. You've met me only once with the idea you can just come into this town to harm my friends? Ha, I don't think so. If you wanted to talk to me, then why not _come_ to me? Who the hell cares about Ric interfering?"

"Give me some credit, Char; I'm not stupid. I know what you are. If I went anywhere near you in private, I don't exactly have a defense mechanism against . . . _whatever_ it is that you do. Oh, then again, maybe a few threats to your so-called friends would suffice, wouldn't it?"

"That's it. I'm hanging up. Goodbye, Bitch."

Isobel had the nerve to tsk. "Is that any way a lady should speak? _She_ warned me of your spunk. She's strangely enthralled by you and your talents."

Assuming the worse, I tensed. "Who are you talking about?"

"Who else but Katherine?"

"No. . . . You're lying."

"Oh, no. She's actually been keeping tabs on you for quite some time - who you are, your family, your life in New York. She'll be wanting to hear about that delicious little brother you have." I could hear the taunting smile in her voice when my breathing hitched. "I'm clearing out from Mystic Falls. I have what I want and there's nothing else keeping me here, but before I go, Katherine wanted me to leave her own message. Be expecting her soon."

_Click._

* * *

-The New World-

1025

_Not one_, a voice whispered to me. _They have left._

I sensed very few immortals - conceivably two - around Lilly's home, but it was not the familiar feel of energy that I had acquainted myself with Rebekah and her brothers. With a few more practices earlier this morning, I grasped a better idea of what _empathy_ was, even developing some kind of trivial control over it. I could _feel_ them - their bodies and their energies, however strange it may have sounded. _They are not present_, I assured with confidence, trying to push my fear to the back of my mind and grasping the choker around my neck for encouragement. I could not sneak away if I was hesitant or unsure of my steps, needing absolute resolution for my intentions.

Wrapping Ayana's shawl over my shoulders, I slipped through the small crack of the bedroom door and walked down the hallway as quietly as I could manage. To my puzzlement, at my feet was a small white lily flower that Henrik once gave to me. A sign of an apology, it seemed. But was it enough? _Possibly. _Wary, I tucked it under my skirts for safe keeping.

I took a deep breath to slow the pounding of my heart into a steady pace, not daring to take a sharp inhale of breath for worry of alerting those inside. After discovering from Elijah last night that Aunt Sylvia was under the care of Tatia and Charlotte - two who had survived Niklaus' merciless attack, I had planned to visit them without giving any warning to _him_ or his siblings. It may have been seen as a petty offense, but if they willingly decided to keep information from me, then I would do the same as well.

_They shall be grieving with the deaths of yesterday_, I sighed to myself, sniffing at the shaded memories of my deceased caretakers.

Guilty, I bit my bottom lip, recalling the confrontation the eldest demanded from me. Whether his tone was gentle or not, he had no right to request any audience with me - especially not after learning that I had been his fiancée centuries before, _and_ conjointly Henrik's olden flame and Niklaus' secret lover. It did not matter that our estranged yet separate relationships occurred over the progression of several hundred years. I was a loyal woman, desiring to belong to _a_ man and not _three_; I did not want to be _her_, an equivalent of Yvonne who did not settle for modesty and tradition.

_Tomorrow then_, Elijah had concluded when I rejected to engage any conversations with him. _We shall speak tomorrow._

It had been my first time to ever decline his presence so openly. As proud as I was to have stood my ground, I also felt dejected, confused, and lonely. It brought an ache to my chest when he had left, the pain lingering on for much longer now that I was aware of my inner, _deeper_ feelings toward the dark-eyed immortal. _Today is too soon_, I argued silently in my head, _I need consolation, and if I cannot converse with Rebekah or Henrik, then I must with my older companions. I cannot do this alone . . . I am lost._

At a sudden chill down my spine, I froze at my last footing and edged closer to the room I knew was assigned to Niklaus. Compared to the other quarters either shared by the elder couple and the brothers, one was occupied by Niklaus alone. This too had been the area where I had heard Yvonne's giggles over heavy moans when I awoken from my pleasant dreams; the walls of this house were very thin despite the thickness of its stone and wood. It was blatantly obvious she had healed from the poison of my unwelcoming blood when she screeched with unadulterated pleasure. Their carnal escapades ran through the morning, leaving me with little sleep, until it was eerily silent, signaling that they had departed.

Even if the thought of _it_ disgusted me - the deed they shamelessly enacted very loudly, I was puzzled as to why I underwent overwhelming emotions of betrayal, indignation, and _hurt_. It was too strong for me to command at once, and I found myself _wishing_ that Yvonne was still withering in pain on the forest floor; I was filled to the brink with spite and envy - oh, the _envy_. Waves upon waves of it drowned my very body until I remembered _my_ feelings, of Heidi's and of Tatia's - the girl he was using.

I had no right and no use with such jealousy to Yvonne or her affairs. It was unusual for me to feel anything beyond attraction for the blue-eyed monster who - in addition to the murders of Emanuel and Magdalene - had killed my uncle, and he was currently ill-fated to roam the earth as one of _them. _Regardless, the question remained: had that been my connection to Laelia, the woman who had loved him requitedly and was a part of me whether I wished it or not?

_And is Yvonne aware she was intimate with her parents' killer? _I was still accepting the fact that she too was a blood drinker, changed most likely by Niklaus himself. She may not have been my most favored person nor had I forgiven her from the rumors she sprouted when we were children, but I pitied her nonetheless.

Yvonne was unable to move on past her age of twenty-three, to never grow old, mature, or have the gift of bearing children. I was informed of Rebekah's woe at immortals' incapability of bearing their own flesh and blood, almost cringing at the thought of having that option taken away from me as well. I did not know what the future brought for me, but I did want to the choice of keeping my humanity and eventually dying of old age - surrounded by the children of my own - or to live at the frozen state of twenty-one with Elijah forever which a very long time, I had to admit.

Bringing myself out of my dark thoughts, I cautiously stepped forward. Never had I dared to venture in the privacy of his room, but there was a pull, an anonymous source of calling, that lured me closer to the wooden door. Perhaps it wasn't the mystery of never having seen past the seal of his chamber that tempted me, but whatever it may be, it was hailing my name. _Find me_, was what my instincts screamed in my ears, _before he returns. Hide me. Steal me. Destroy me before _he_ comes back. Find me. Find me. Find-_

"Do not advance any further than you have," someone abruptly warned from behind, his voice oddly rich and comforting. His accent was bizarre, something out of the ordinary, while he continued his warning. "If you wish to not jeopardize your safety here, do not act on such impulses of curiosity."

Gasping, I whirled around to see the sun-kissed foreigner standing in the middle of the hall, tall and unwavering. He was yet to be seen with a top covering, allowing my eyes to skim past his bare muscled chest. At his left arm was a faint scorch mark of my palms, the skin slowly healing from the scars of the blue fire. A grimace made its way to my lips, remembering the foul smell of burning flesh. Wary, I cleared my throat, conscious of his status as a blood-drinking demon. "Y-You . . . W-What is your business here?"

"What is yours?"

I replied hesitantly, "None at all. You simply surprised me. I-I was not in my right mind to accuse you, and for that, I apologize. Pardon me," Before I could reach the back way, he suddenly appeared in front of me, smiling when I was unable to stop the surprised squeal that left me. He scrutinized each flicker of emotion, hungrily analyzing each response my body made. It made me constrained with my loss of composure, anxious.

"Where is it that you plan to go to this fine afternoon?"

"W-Where are the siblings?" I countered in return, amazed at my own brashness.

A troubled look crossed his handsome oval face, the result from either my question or my lack of trust. The speed and strength immortality bestowed upon him were impressive and predatory, but he was aware of my assumed _magic._ As pitiable as I appeared, I would fight if I had to. "They shall return soon."

"All of them?"

". . . Yes. Far be it to my knowledge why, they have all gone." His blazing hazel eyes narrowed in suspicion, but his voice was a different matter as it was threaded with suppressed amusement. "You were contemplating to leave, were you not? I must ask again; where shall you go?"

"Where I can think."

"Can you not do that here?" When I shook my head warily, he responded with a mocking expression of indifference. "That is a shame."

"Do not jest." I snapped, unable to have control of my mouth. "Tis a day of mourning! It deserves respect and courtesy for you and your companions have burned parts of my village, killing those who have provided for my family and I."

He didn't blink at my outrage and nodded like he comprehended my anger - or he possibly did not care either way. "Then we shall go."

Astonished - somewhat mystified - at his startling ease, I began to walk to the door. He merely followed behind. "Will you not stop me?" I asked, my heart pounding in my ears when the warm beams of the sun bathed over my timid figure. A part of me hoped he would be prisoned by the curse of the sun, but the foreigner did not flinch at the light as he matched my pace toward Tatia's abode. He appeared to be bare of jewelry containing blue precious stones until I noticed the dark golden anklet on top of his right ankle.

"Had I been told to confine you within these walls, then perhaps; but that is not the case today. I am but to keep an eye on you during their absence."

A frown marred my facial features for a short while. "And who has given you those orders?"

"Elijah." He watched my reaction carefully, peculiarly pleased when I twitched at _his_ name.

I drifted from his path slightly, my antipathy bubbling ever higher inside of me. His lack of sympathy, mixed with his perplexing intrigue to the reasonings for my behavior, was a revolting combination, bordering hypocritical. "Do you not feel remorse for what you have done? Did you not begin the fire?"

"The time they have died does not matter, for their hearts would cease to beat even if they somehow survived. If not yesterday, then years from now. They are humans, fragile and mortal. Their deaths, their lives, or the lengths of their limited years are of little significance."

"You were once human," I reminded him in a harsh tone.

"Too long ago to hold any importance. Nothing has been wasted with their deaths." he remarked curtly. How old was this stranger? From what I was told, none were more mature or powerful than Elijah and the remainders of his family since from them, all immortals were created. He could not surpass more than a millennia, could he?

"Their life had been trifled away so carelessly. They did not deserve such an end."

"Then it was not theirs to spoil. I have heard of Emanuel and his desire for influence, or of Magdalene and her desperation for her husband's approval, surpassing the ties to humane morals. They are hardly what you would call saints - deserving of such chance."

Shuddering at his viciousness of his tone, I childishly turned away and my eyes watered with tears. As harsh as his claims were to my past mistress and her partner, his words rang clear with truth and cruel honesty. "What of their time? They had many years to prosper had you not interfered with their fates."

The man sighed wearily. "I need not answer. Your belief and loyalty will not shift no matter what I tell you."

Looking up, I saw a handful of trailing smoke in the air; the fire had long been diminished. The smell of the incidents had remained, stinging my nostrils. Ahead the path - on top of the valley, I could spot a few gathering crowds at the public square. The damage of each property could be repaired with a simple ax and slab of rock, but they were crying over the dead - men and women that they recently lost and could never get back. I was doubtful that this man would allow me to go there, nor would I be welcomed with _them_ at this time. I questioned quietly, unnerved with the silence and forlorn atmosphere, "What are you called as?"

He glanced at me briefly with a hint of nostalgia. "Kafele."

"And you heard of me." I had observed his lack of dislike toward me, finding it unusual since I was told that witches and vampires were not hospitable with each other.

"I have seen what you are, Heidi, and I am one of several who was told of your existence." He didn't seems wary of my caution as he continued, "You are not a witch but a reincarnation of nature. I have met you before."

My breath was caught at my throat. "Y-You have?"

"The original of your cycle; Rehema."

_Then he is ancient_, I realized with difficulty, _special perhaps._ Nervous, I asked, "How had you known me then?" _And do not say as my lover._

Kafele did not bat an eye, answering easily, "We were once friends."

With my instincts warnings, I frowned and glared at the beautiful foreigner. "You are lying."

Shocking me to an extent, he began to laugh, a twinkling sound of unusual mirth compared to his imperviousness. "I suppose your capability to spot lies has not withered over the thousands of years since your first death."

"You claim we were companions and yet you speak of my passing unbothered."

"As I said, it has been over thousands of years." Kafele sobered quickly. "My grief for Rehema's death has disappeared over the first centuries from my own demise. It would not have been in my sister's interest to watch me in anguish throughout my immortality."

I stopped, gaping. "We were siblings?"

Kafele managed a nod and grabbed my forearm to bring me out of my surprise. I wanted to deny it, but I was certain he was not telling fables. "You were the middle child of five children, the first and eldest daughter to acclaimed Egyptian performers. I was born two years after, the third son as well as the second youngest of our entire family."

"And who was it that sired you?"

"Elijah - he saved me." At my hidden question, he said dismissively, "There is no one other than myself from our past family. I am the sole survivor of the attack."

_Egyptian? Elijah?_ I echoed in my head with wonder, understanding his contradictory behavior combined with malice and curiosity. _Would that mean the origins of nature's mortal body began in the lands of Egypt? Perhaps even further than that?_ Then I swallowed anxiously at his dark expression. Once brother or not, it did not erase his earlier transgressions of murder. "Attack from what, I may ask?"

He spared me a glimpse. "Mikael."

I was immediately crushed under the weight of vengeance and sorrow, fast to notice that they were not my own emotions. Yanking my arm back to me, I sighed with relief at the clarity of his inner torture before I fully accepted what I learned; Mikael had killed Rehema's family. Who was to say that he would not kill Aunt Sylvia? With new determination, I quickened my pace. "Then let us not waste any more time." He only pulled me back when we reached the stone home of my oldest friend and her caretaker. "What is it?"

"Beyond the door awaits Elijah-"

"You had said-"

"I have said many things," he grumbled impatiently, "and you did not ask where they planned to venture forth."

My hands clenched together as I looked around apprehensively, biting my lip again. Could they be watching me at this moment? "I take it that they have not left the village."

"No, but they are not near. They will not bother you - all but one."

_"Him,"_ I confirmed.

"Do not fret so much. It is unbecoming of a growing lady." Kafele neared me and I could not control the way my body cringed back. Displeased, he frowned at my reaction, but in spite of that reassured, "I do not make it a habit to dwell on matters that are not mine, yet I still find myself seeing you as my sister - though I am very much aware that you aren't. There is no doubt _he_ cares for you deeply-"

I shook my head in dismay. "Many have told me of that already."

"Then what halts you from taking what you so freely desire?"

_Fear_, was my answer as it always had been earlier. _I fear what I do not know._ Before I could utter another word for the answer he was waiting for, Elijah himself appeared in front of me; he had been listening in. I took serious note of the dark circles gathering under his mesmerizing brown eyes. _He did not feed?_ Kafele glanced at me and he disappeared from my sight, leaving me alone with the dark-eyed immortal. _Wait, do not leave me alone-_

"Heidi,"

". . . Elijah." I weakly whispered. A rush of anger filled my body.

"I can only imagine your confusion," he began civilly, "and for that, I am sorry."

"Yes, I suppose I am . . . _confused_ - galled."

Elijah placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, sending chills of sickness through my clothes and skin. He too must have learned of the _empathy_ that Niklaus informed me of. "We had not toyed with your feelings, I promise you, nor had we viewed you as a game to quench our boredom. As much as we are at fault, do not become vain, Heidi. Our feelings were our own; this was of my own choice, the reasons I had fallen for you as Berenike. May it have been centuries since, but it was our decisions to bear, not yours."

"That does not make it right."

"Keep in mind that Niklaus did not have such feelings of affection for your originator - Rehema, nor for Berenike. It was more inclined with curiosity, bordering harmful interest." His stare lowered to my neck - to the choker, his lips curving down. "You seem attach to this."

"The security it gives overcomes any verdict to rid myself of it."

Elijah was frustrated but finished tactlessly, "Henrik had no recognition of Laelia, and I did not pay much attention to your existence until a few days prior to Rehema's death. As circumstances have it, we had never cheated you." His hold tightened. "You are not a whore. Do not even think of yourself like that."

_My mouth needed to be washed. _Shaking my head, I pointed out, "Circumstances? T-This cannot be a coincidence, Elijah. Do you not find it strange that we must cross fates after hundreds of years, particularly when this is our fourth encounter?"

"The answer to similar questions can only be answered by a witch who has such apprehension. I am clueless to the reasons behind it, but I do admit the peculiarity of it."

"Perhaps that too is a cause of another curse." I instantly regretted voicing my opinion when he looked hurt.

Elijah released his grip, straightening from his short slouch and walking back to the house. "Tatia waits for you inside."

"Wait! I-I have to, erm - in regards to Kafele, I must-"

"I did not do it for you."

Unexpectedly, I felt cold without him, even when I was freed from the sting of his deathly touch. "T-That was not my intention, though I am, uh, _astonished_ to learn of his presence. But E-Elijah . . ." When he turned back with an expectant expression, my thoughts turned to mush. _I love you. Despite my anger - my disfavor . . . I still love you. _"I-I must say something of, er, great importance. A-And if I cannot say it then I may not be able to-"

"Heidi, you need not force yourself." I was shocked when he uttered out, "I know."

"No, I meant-"

"I am aware of your feelings."

"But . . . how?"

_And more importantly, when? _I gasped when I found myself in his arms, warmth flooding my chest and my cheeks. Instead of happiness, I was nothing but melancholic. Was this acceptance? Rejection? The pit of my stomach dropped. Did he not want me anymore? Was I too late to respond - foolish to rebuff him when I once had a chance? His heated breath washed over behind my ear when he released me, and I was colder now than I ever had been before. A hint of a sad smile appeared on his face. I stayed put as he headed for the front door, not waiting for my argument.

_Tis not the right time_, Elijah had whispered.

Shaking my head, I cried out nimbly, "I beg to disagree." But it was too late. My words were lost in the wind, and I was not heard.


	23. A Bed Of Roses

_I am back, yo! Stuff has been hectic since I'm at the point where I gotta consider further education and possibly college. __Dedicated to my new and old readers, especially to **FormofJane** for giving me the extra push to update. __**Any fangirls deprived of Klaus romance scenes, be assured there will be moments that I've planned between him and one of my OCs to come**__ (wink!) **because I always pictured Heidi ending up with Elijah.**__ Bravo to you guys who've read this far:) I'll update when I can - next week, in two weeks, maybe even next month again, I don't know - since I don't really have a steady schedule right now, but just to make you all assured with the continuation, **I don't quit my stories!** What writer would I be to disappoint those who deserve to read this story's ending? Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**A Bed Of Roses**

-The New World-

1025

"How could I believe . . ." I struggled with the fluency of my sentence, bewildered beyond apprehension. Compared to the rest of Niklaus' schemes for power and survival, this was to be his most discourteous deed yet. It was not the act of murder or greed that I would have expected from a heartless man such as he, but it - _this_ - did not fail to remind me about his lack of congeniality. After days of danger and confusion, here I stood across from the clueless woman - a marvelous beauty who I called a friend; but instead of feeling the happiness I thought I would've felt with seeing Tatia again, I was only horrified.

"Why do you appear so surprised? Twas not the first time for my brother to manipulate a woman before."

"To use Tatia only for her body and to do an insensible thing afterwards? It is despicable!"

"You are blind to see that he has done her a favor," Elijah murmured from the closed door.

Anxious, I shivered at the absence of sympathy in his voice and faced the dark-haired immortal. "A favor? Is she not aware of the mourners outside her door?"

"No."

I repeated with incredulity, "No . . ? What of her grasp of actuality? Is that gone as well?"

"Perhaps." He kept at a distance and leaned against the wooden post, his intelligent yet glacial brown eyes focused on me. It was rather patronizing to realize that he was aware of my feelings for him. How could he act so . . . _casual_ when I was practically wrapped up in shy nerves?

Pushing aside my uncertainty for where _we_ stood, I pondered over what he meant. _Tis not the right time?_ Then when would be the _right time_ for him to answer me, to reject or reciprocate my affections? Did he doubt my emotions? Or worse, had he been hasty to assume probabilities that weren't really there with Niklaus and I? It seemed like _everyone_ knew about the kiss before I subconsciously forced myself to fight Niklaus' compulsion.

"Then how is it a kind act upon her? Have courtesy not to say such things," I chided bravely, forcing back the guilt and looking back at the brunette. As she cooed at her gurgling baby, she hummed a cheerful tune, though to be honest, there was not much to be _cheerful_ about. Tatia had been more than ecstatic to greet me again, but I began to suspect something incredibly wrong when she began to eagerly introduce me to Elijah - as if we had been strangers. "I can only guess Niklaus has compelled Tatia."

"Impelled by his power to forget . . . Is that not what you want for her?" At my outraged expression, Elijah merely continued, "He has taken the pain she would have confronted from losing her caretaker, Ellinor. Would you rather have her cry and mourn?"

I shook my head, denying to understand his twisted logic. "Better to grieve for someone you cared for, than to forget they ever existed."

"A fool's vision, indeed."

My hands clenched into fists as I exhaled slowly in a failed attempt to calm myself. "Who is she now without her past recognitions? Ellinor, as cynical as she seemed, was the echo of Tatia's mother - a figment of her past, and she is now dead! It is an insult to her memory! Does that not hold any value to your morality?" I whirled around, scowling in displeasure when he remained unmoved. "Who are you, or your brother, to decided what she remembers? To kill without any careful heed of the consequences? Those men and women outside have lost so many! Do you not feel any guilt?"

"And who are we to disregard _what_ we are - our basic instincts, our strengths, our _hunger_? We were gifted, blessed." Much to my surprise, he spat out the last word with thick disdain. "Perhaps we are more damned than we realize."

Cringing at the choice of words, I shifted at my feet, uncomfortable. "Being _gifted_ does not mark immortals as superior or . . . cursed. It simply shows that you are different."

"You have not lived for as long as I have, nor will you comprehend the difficulty," Elijah grumbled almost forebodingly, "unless you yourself transition into one."

_Me? Become an immortal? _I remembered the time Henrik had asked me of that topic a few days ago, and now, I found myself in the same situation with his eldest brother. My answer would have been a definite yes; it was an impulsive and clearly naïve decision for me to choose, the baneful result of a passionate infatuation. After having a lot of time for meticulous mullings, my fantasies of experiencing a happily ever after had wilted into the realm of reality - destroyed; I knew better now.

"Elijah, I-I do not think-!" With a nervous swallow, I restated apologetically, "I _may_ not picture my life like yours, or approve of your killings for they are hard to overlook, but must it mean that I cannot _try_ to understand?" When he didn't answer, I paused. "Are we too . . . diverse to reach a confident agreement?" _Utterly incompatible?_

It sounded as if my question held a double meaning - like it also contained the long awaited inquiry towards _us_ - which it most likely did. Could there really be an us in the romantic sense, considering that everything was falling all around us? The stable building blocks that held our feeble positions together were crumbling into grains of sand, and it was somewhat painful to watch without the ability to do anything about it. Staring at the eldest sibling, I apprehended why he had been so distant with me lately.

Aside from his acknowledgement of _that_ forsaken kiss with Niklaus and Henrik's unrequited feelings for me, Elijah appeared tense, always on guard for something repugnant to occur - something involving Mikael. _But what?_

Before he could think of a response, Tatia turned to us with the bouncing baby girl in her arms. Little Charlotte - a growing newborn of three years - was the matching image of her young mother, but her big round eyes glinted in a mesmerizing blossom of caramel green. I had been informed that it was the reminding aspect of her late father, Jakob. "You two are acquainting yourselves, yes?"

I caught a strange flash of envy in her attractive orbs of dark brown, and a frown quivered on my lips. _Please do not hint that she too has grown attached to the handsome immortal._

"Blithely," Elijah assured, lying smoothly through his teeth.

"That's pleasant to hear," she replied with a charming smile, the image of her gentle allure causing my stomach to quease. Even after all of this, I still did not hold any competition compared to Tatia's transparent loveliness. "Heidi is in need of companions. I worry for her."

"That is not needed," I consoled over Charlotte's merry giggles. "I am content with the way things are presently."

Tatia nodded, obviously doubtful. "Of course . . . though it is hard to accept that Yvonne had agreed to your day off. Do you not usually work these afternoons?"

Stiffening, I blinked back the tears, a tinge remorseful and saddened with the lie I came up next. "Um, M-Magdalene requested for me to pace myself. S-She jests I work too much."

"Jest?" She repeated, shaking her head at me. "Tis not a jest, Heidi. Yvonne is a horrid mistress."

Catching the raised eyebrow perched on Elijah's face, I dismissed it quickly. "We do not have to speak of old matters." If Tatia ever reclaimed her memories, how would she react to her rival's scandalous intimacy with Niklaus? When my own hurried flush of jealousy ran through my body, I gestured to Charlotte. My supposed, lingering connection to Laelia was beginning to startle me; just how strong had her bond been to Niklaus? "Do you require any assistance?"

With a laugh, Tatia placed her little girl on the makeshift crib - purely made of wood and blunt stone. "No, it seems that my darling had enough adventure for today. Is that not so, Lottie?"

A smile crept on my face when Charlotte wailed airily. "She is truly precious . . ." Surprised at my tone of longing, I trailed off when I felt the heat of Elijah's troubled stare. "W-What is it?" To my disappointment, he declined his head as a no. It worried me when I noticed the nostalgia in his expression, but agreed to stay silent.

"We must catch up soon," Tatia told me with excitement. "But I must acquire your help first."

"Yes?"

When Elijah maintained his position as the quiet bystander, I ended up assisting Tatia with our late lunch. This solely awakened the memories of how my life had been before the foreigners appearances to my village - endless days filled with mornings of washing the clothes, afternoons of cleaning Yvonne's messy room, and evenings of fixing supper. I was not as jejune as I had been, and for that - the experience, the knowledge, and the freedom that was so generously granted to me - I was forever obliged; but I too was conflicted, particularly with the way they were _made_ to survive. Blood. Murder. Gluttony.

What would my life be after the family of immortals decided to leave? Would I continue on with my promise and remain as extra company, or would I stay here . . . with Tatia and Aunt Sylvia? _I gave them my word_, I scolded myself. _Could I really walk away from them, from _Elijah_?_

Peering over the fireplace, I informed Tatia warily, "You are in need of more water or it shall burn into chars. Where shall I get the pail?"

It was a peculiar thing when the brunette glanced up from her heated work, a confused look settling on her face. "Hmm? What is it that you mean?"

"There is a well in the garden."

Her eyes flickered outside, tinged with abstraction. ". . . I must leave? But I cannot leave."

"Tatia-"

_"No!"_

I found myself glaring at Elijah, acutely blaming him for her strange behavior. "I am simply asking-"

"Do not make me go," she suddenly snapped and edged away from me. "I cannot leave!"

"You may stay," Elijah comforted her almost tolerantly as he decided to intervene. His calm tone was a bit condescending despite the intention to soothe the panicking woman, causing me to frown. "But where is the pail?"

". . . Oh . . . I see." With an innocent blink, she went into the second room before returning with the bucket in her hands. I was struck into silence when I witnessed her moods completely switch in a fleeting moment, eyeing her abrupt geniality. "The day has already passed. Be careful on your way down."

Alarmed, I snatched it from her hands and rushed to the back way. Elijah and I exchanged meaningful looks, my gaze hardening in fierce impeachment. "I did not compel her, if that is what you are accusing."

"That does not matter anymore! May it have been you or your brothers, Rebekah, even Kafele!" I remarked to him, marching straight to the manmade well. "Tatia is not the same!" Tripping a few times, I clutched Ayana's shawl closer to my trembling body, and was too agitated to consider the option of using my _magic_ to clear the trail of roots and dirt craters.

When I returned with a half-empty bucket, I hardly strolled past the dark-haired immortal when I experienced the most agonizing torment I ever felt, so much more harassing than the time I was poisoned with tainted blood. An unbearable throb of pain pierced through my chest and I discovered it was too difficult to breathe, causing me to wheeze for what my lungs craved - air. My body felt very hot to the point I could barely move, not without moaning in agony. If I could try to distinguish such distress, it was like I underwent the lethal caress of death's touch - of actually dying in Elijah's arms yet withstanding the moments of torture.

_Ayana. _A single thought was all it took to push realization in my mind. _Dear Ayana . . . _

There was an unforeseen scream - I recognized the voice as Tatia's - mixed with a childish cry. "Oh, my! Fire! There's blue fire!"

"-look at me," he ordered under the echoes of bewildered yells.

"I-It can't be-" Once I was released from its terrifying grip, I gasped for air and choked when all I inhaled was smothering smoke. My sweaty hands gripped the soaked shawl tighter, my nails burying through the thick fabric. There was no more pain to confront anymore, but it left me quaking. "S-She - I . . . No, _no!_"

"Heidi!" Tatia shrieked from afar, not amidst the line of my vision. "Stop it!"

"Calm down."

"E-Elijah?" I was taken aback, unexpectedly staring into the enticing smolder of his oak brown eyes. Past his mess of dark curls lied the afternoon sky, clear of dreary clouds; we were outside, my back pressed against the dew-covered ground. My face scrunched up into a grimace when I began to cough. "Ayana, she . . . gone . . . Mikael."

Scowling at the lack of fathomable response, his eyebrows furrowed together in all seriousness and he brushed his cool thumb over my sweat-coated cheekbone. "Mikael? What of him? Tell me, Heidi-"

I grabbed his hand in despair and wrenched myself away weakly, not bearing to be touched - not by an immortal. My empathy had reached extremes to force me through her horrifying end; I _felt_ her death, and everything now stunk of its touch. "She has died."

"You speak of your witch."

"Yes! She is dead . . ! She is gone."

Not requiring any solid proof, I relied on supernatural intuitions alone to inform me of this. I just knew the witch had passed from this world, and I was aware of _how_ and _who_ had killed her. The most shocking thing - Ayana had known beforehand; she discerned that Mikael would betray her. But why continue on with it? Why not run with me to safety? I paid no attention to Tatia's shouts and did not bother to bottle up the turmoil building within my body, fueling the blue fire that I heard crackling behind me.

Elijah frowned, unconcerned with the burning house. "Then my father has lost any use for her."

Throwing her woolen shawl off me - the physical link that had unwittingly tied the old witch to my senses, I was blind under the blear of my tears. "He has killed her, Elijah!"

"Niklaus and I, we already presumed-"

"Do you not understand!? He is coming! He is coming _here_!" Seconds before her heart ceased to beat, Ayana managed to warn me of my fate . . . of my death. I whispered tiredly, "Mikael. . . . He wishes to kill me."

* * *

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2010

"How do you fare, my lady? Tis, er, a good afternoon?" Matt joked to his girlfriend as he tried to discreetly loosen his black and blue striped tie. Anyone, but the angelic blond that hung on his arm, could see that it had been choking him, lightly shading his cheeks pink from the literal lack of air in his lungs.

In no mood to play around, she frowned and smacked his wandering hands away. "Don't touch it." After spending many days of stressing over the sublimity of the Founder's parade, Caroline's patience had worn dangerously thin and she had no problem with snapping at anyone, not even with biting at the curious fingers that prodded her way. "It was fine the way it was."

Matt ignored the warning looks Bonnie and I were shooting him and argued, "But it's too tight-"

"It's for the picture! Sacrifices must be made for the perfect image - one that will hang in the wall of my house for my descendants to see - and I'm not letting a crooked tie ruin it."

"Don't bother with me." He stared at her with genuine admiration as he assured, "You look perfect, Care. Relax."

"But you're my date so basically, you're representing me, and I'm anything but _not_ perfect." When she caught his reluctance, she propositioned with a sense of urgency, "I worked really hard on this, Matt. Just . . . hold on for a little longer, okay? Afterwards, I'll be able to afford to calm down and things will go back to mundane normalcy."

"Yes, Matt," I teased, unable to hide the grin that was on my mouth. Those two were too adorable to disregard, no matter how annoyingly mushy and cliché they became when they reconciled. "Keep holding on to that right there, in your heart. It'll save you the disappointment when psycho Caroline is still present later on."

Bonnie subtly nudged me, her voice assuaging, "Hey, keep the vulgarity to the minimum. It's Caroline's day."

Caroline mocked my words a little too sharply, handing the camera to Bonnie. "So right, Bonnie! It's _my_ day, Cuz, so quit it."

She fiddled with the smooth skirt of her sunny yellow dress, its puffy sleeves reaching down to the crook of her elbows. With my help, Caroline's thick locks of light blond hair had been curled into unmarred waves, brushing past her pale shoulders. She had to wake me two hours earlier than usual to demand - not ask - for my assistance in concern with her clothes and makeup. In other words, I practically her bitch until the parade was over and done with; my only wish was that I got paid.

"Take a picture, will you? I don't trust Chardonnay with it."

"I wouldn't either," she joked along with her and sent a smirk at my direction.

Raising an eyebrow at their claims, I questioned, "The three of you do know that I'm a photographer, right?"

"As a hobby?" Caroline clarified pompously. "You'll just waste my film! All you photograph are trees, flowers . . . more trees."

I defended with a pout, "It's called art! The shading, the techniques - _everything_ about it has to be spontaneous."

"It's called taking photos," Bonnie corrected as she peered through the lens.

"Um, ouch?" Looking past her, I saw that most of the crowds in the public square were either getting ready to participate in their custom-made floats, or documenting their own pictures for memory lane in the future. Since I already experienced my moments of nostalgia, I was in the clear of getting teary-eyed _ever_ again. My temporary display of weakness had disappeared and passed, much to my relief; I wasn't a crier, never was and never would be.

Loudening brabbles from the street snapped me out of my thoughts and I heard Bonnie ask, "Okay, you guys ready? Say cheese!"

"Wait! Not yet!" Caroline quickly pushed back Matt's injured arm from sight, noting out loud, "Your cast isn't appropriate for this era. Too much twenty-first century, not enough nineteenth."

"Seriously?"

"Yes," she deadpanned.

"Whatever, fine. Just take the picture, Bonnie." If the dilemma in his exasperated tone wasn't enough to convince our dark-skinned friend, Matt's eye-widened stare easily bought her sympathies.

Happy with the final image _several_ shots later - a transparent understatement by itself, my second cousin announced gaily, "Ooh, I like this one. We look so cute together, don't we? Here, Matt, I want one with the girls." She somehow forget the awkward use of his right hand when she tossed him the camera, lacing our arms together for a pose.

"I'll take it for you," a voice offered from behind, making all four of us jump in surprise. We turned to see Tyler with his hand out, an apologetic smile wearing down his full lips. "The parade is almost starting. My mom's searching for you two."

Matt frowned and gave it to _me_ of all people, slightly glaring at his ex-friend. "Fine, yeah. I'll be on the float. See you guys later."

Flustered, Tyler glanced at the scowling blond. "I already said I was sorry-"

"Sorry? That's not good enough, Tyler." Caroline scoffed at his incompetence. "What did you expect? You made out with his mother and then you beat him up when he has the right to be angry - what's worse, it was in front of the upper-side residences of Mystic Falls."

"I was drunk! What else does he want me to do?"

A flash of anger glinted across her large, pretty blue eyes. Caroline was all for having the two of them bury the hatchet, but she was still partial to Matt's side of the story. "Do better," she snapped irritably, snatching back her camera rather rudely from my grip and trailing after her boyfriend.

"Well, look at it this way," I quipped once they disappeared from view, "you're getting the persistent part down perfectly."

"Matt's not changing his mind," Tyler affirmed dejectedly.

"Way to state the obvious; but are you giving up so quickly? Is that how much his friendship means to you?"

"Of course not-"

I waved him off. "Then chase after him. Go on. It's about time you guys kissed and made up."

He didn't seem to appreciate my dry humor, but the corners of his lips quirked upward in betrayal. "The floats are gathering ahead of the road. I'll probably catch up with him later." Meeting only our silence, Tyler asked, "What's going on with you guys today?"

Trying to console my doubts that the Salvatore brothers had things under control regarding the safety of my younger brother, I risked a glimpse at Bonnie who was stiff since this morning. She managed a nonchalant shrug under our innocent scrutiny. "Eh, Caroline got to me."

"I think she got to everyone," he mumbled, his chary gaze flickering around the busy square. "Jeremy got caught behind by Mr. Saltzman."

Since the capricious teacher and I created some sort of fragile pact, we returned to amiable terms without the tense, uncomfortable silences; or that's what I was able to make out from the short conversations we held an hour ago. We both knew Isobel had left, but we were also hesitant to bring anything up about my mother. I could admit that I was scared . . . though never aloud - I had too much asserted vanity for that. "Aren't you supposed to be with Ric - er, Mr. Saltzman? You're the one who designed the float," I reminded him.

The dark-haired football player snickered. "I'm actually hiding from him. There's no way I'm riding with one of those teachers."

"What about your parents?"

"This is their thing, not mine. All I wanna do is find some corner to get a drink." Tyler grinned at us - more at me than at a disgruntled Bonnie, seeming to amplify his charm. "Want to join me?"

It was Bonnie's turn to be skeptical when a comical expression slipped on her angular face. Compared to the younger generation of our small town, she had remained ignorant about my shifty relationship with Tyler - may it be platonic or potentially romantic. Sparing a giggle for his benefit, I shook my head at his offer. "Rain check?"

"I'll take you up on that."

We exchanged pleasant grins but when he left, Bonnie was anything but pleased. She placed her hands on her narrow waist, rouge lips pursed and dark eyes narrowed. "Okay, what was that minutes ago?"

"Hmm?" Without any shame, I decided to play dumb. "I don't know what you're talking about-"

"What's up with _you_ and _Tyler_? You didn't exactly leave him in friendly terms last time."

I replied coolly, recalling the day I accidentally discovered the existence of vampires, "We hung out a few times when you were gone."

"Did anything _more_ happen?"

An amused laugh escaped from me. "What's your beef with Tyler?"

She seemed uncertain when she answered, "Not sure. I get weird vibes from that guy."

"Just because he's a school's lady player? It's not like that, Bonnie."

". . . I guess. I can't really explain it," Bonnie sighed, her eyebrows furrowed together in thought.

In my mind, there was no way something was different with Tyler. I just refused to believe that my life was _that_ twisted into the supernatural world. It took a while, but I was able to distract her - and myself - from her dubiety by leading her through crowds and treating my friend with a few pastries from the street vendors. Mixed smells of powdery sweets to tender meats filled our lungs as we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon. We were in desperate need for a girls' day out and this was the closest that we could get to one, considering we weren't in the mall shopping our hearts out.

A smile graced her mouth, telling me that I was doing a good job as her friend. "Thanks, I kinda need this. I keep underestimating the power of sweets."

Keeping my tone light, I secretly pondered if it had anything to do with Sheila again. "How so?"

"Hmm?" She chuckled nervously. "Eh, nothing. Never mind."

Before I could reply, knifelike blares of the horns pierced through the air, claiming everyone's attention with just one melody. We could both hear the faint cheers and the blunt pops of the party confetti further down the road, volunteers dressed in costumes passing out paper trumpets. Accepting ours with polite thank yous, we edged closer to the curb. "It's starting, and not a moment too soon," I mumbled when my stomach growled in hunger.

"Good afternoon everybody!" Carol Lockwood beamed at the audience, elegantly clothed in a baby blue dress suit, as the floats dragged forward. With a flip of her light brown hair, she impatiently gestured for the bands to pick up the mirthful tune. "This shows their amazing school spirit towards our final Founder's Day event of the year! Let's give a round of applause for Mystic Falls High School's marching band! And here for a little local history lesson, the students of Mr. Saltzman's history class have recreated Virginia's Battle of Willow Creek! Give them a hand, everybody!"

Much to my surprise, Tyler stood there awkwardly, waving down at everyone next to Jeremy. It seemed that he got caught during his escape. When we met stares, he pointed somewhere back and mouthed, "Mr. Saltzman."

_Of course. What would you expect from a vampire hunter? _The dark-skinned beauty elbowed my side, interrupting my train of thoughts. "Hey, look, there they are!"

"Please help me in welcoming the charming court of Miss Mystic Falls and their lovely escorts!" Carol buoyantly announced.

If Matt hadn't been clutching onto her waist, I could picture my second cousin bouncing off the moving float from all the excitement. A formally dressed Stefan and a flushed Elena shared giggles at her eagerness; I suppose we all did. Exchanging waves with our friends, Bonnie and I warily eyed the blonde bask in the blithesome ovation. "We're going to be hearing about this for a long while," I muttered, grinning nonetheless.

Bonnie agreed without much difficulty. "You bet. I can imagine what she'd-"

"Good afternoon ladies," a mischievous voice greeted from afar. Damon casually sauntered to where we stood, unaffected by the bellows erupting around us. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"You again. What do you want?"

He smirked at her irritable snap. "I'm just here for the sweets."

I wasn't sure why, but I wasn't as infuriated with Damon's presence as I had been days ago. He . . . grew on me, especially this morning when I had rudely stormed into the Salvatore Boarding House to demand what the hell was going on and what gave them the right mind to give into Isobel's requests. They wouldn't say much - agitating me even further, but it was easy to persuade them a tinge when I informed the Salvatore brothers about Katherine and her rumored interest with me and my past. I was sure the Elena-look-alike vampire didn't make all that rumored effort just to take back the choker that was currently around my neck; now that I accepted Sheila's death, I respected her wishes and refused to take it off.

Stefan, more than his sarcastic elder brother, was convinced that it was merely a rouse to scare me, but I wouldn't leave until they promised - no, _swore_ - to keep an extra eye out for Winslow's sake. Then again, it didn't satisfy me completely when they _still_ wouldn't tell me what happened yesterday night and exactly why they gave the device to Elena's biological mother. Their hesitance to confide what I needed to know was keenly feeding the doubts on my position in the group. Did they really want me around?

_Of course_, I comforted myself, asserting confidence in my thoughts. _We're friends._

My stomach uneasily squirmed, both a good and a bad thing. This whole _friendship_ of ours was like plugging on a gigantic display of bright red lights with the taunting words of _Chardonnay Blackburn's first set of friends. Come and look as she screws everything up! _I was actually nervous, even afraid, of losing them, unknowingly bringing out the timidity I had thought to have been washed away; I wasn't known as the shy girl nowadays, not anymore.

With a scowl, Bonnie yanked on my arm and ignored him when he asked in a mocking manner, "Where do you think you're going?"

She replied snippily, "Away from the likes of you."

"Hold on! I want to say something to you." He disregarded her glare and continued with sincerity, "Thank you. That device could've killed me . . . and my brother. What you did for us, I didn't expect that it was a yielding feat to accomplish, or that you'd go on with it. So, thanks."

I stiffened when Bonnie avoided my questioning stare. "Are you talking about the device? You were in on it too?"

"She rendered it useless. It's won't work on vampires anymore."

"What? How?" Gaping at his raised eyebrow, I turned to her suspiciously. "That kind of spell . . . Y-You found it in Emily's spellbook didn't you?"

"Don't thank me," Bonnie grumbled, inching away. "I did it for Elena. She cares for you - why? I have no clue."

Damon wasn't deterred too conveniently. It was perhaps his most irritating characteristic yet - aside from his nagging persistance, his duplicitous low tolerance for inadequacy, and that infuriating _smirk_ of his. "That's old news, and it doesn't change the fact that I owe you. Me and my brother are _that_ thankful. You should pat yourself in the back." He caught one look of my perplexed expression and nodded his head, his lips curving upward. "What a nasty expression, sweetie."

Provoked, I questioned, "Why do you keep calling me that? It's annoying."

"It's how I show affection. Deal with it."

We weren't finished; I followed instinct and grabbed the crook of his elbow in a tight hold. "You're not going anywhere yet. Where's Winnie?"

"Again with the little brother . . . I'm starting to get the feeling that you like him more than me." He teased when he saw the pointed look on my face, "Ooh, should I be jealous?"

"Do what you want, Damon." I warned, "Just keep to your word."

The blue-eyed vampire guaranteed slickly, "Ah, don't worry so much. The last time I saw him was with that girlfriend of his and the Ricster. Strange girl, by the way - she's too misleading for my taste." He tugged away from my grip and ran his slender fingers through his thick, black locks. "Seems like you girls have a lot of things to talk about. Call me when the drama's over."

"Let's join the cheer of the Mystic Falls High School's football team! What enthusiasm!" We heard Carol comment as Damon delved within the mobs, but we didn't join the festive yells.

I quoted somewhat bitterly, "Where did _we promised to watch out for each other_ go?"

Her hands were clenched at her sides, her body tense under her conflictions. She exclaimed, "Exactly! I _was_ watching out for you. I-If Grams were still here . . . she wouldn't want us involved in this! Especially you!"

"That doesn't matter anymore," I pointed out, trying to direct her attention towards me in vain. The ground seemed to be withering under her glare. "We're in this mess whether we like it or not. Elena . . . our friends . . . they needed our help, our support, because we're a _team_. Sheila isn't here anymore-"

"Because of _them_!"

"If they are to blame, then so is Elena! But you don't see me accusing her, do you?" When she opened her mouth to defend her best friend, I reached out and held her fist in my hands. They were trembling with hidden, baneful rage - not for me - but for every vampire alive. I instantly became worried for her emotional health when floods of heated ire and distrust burned my palms. "Calm down, Bonnie. I may not have known Sheila for long - not even for several days, but I _did_ care about her. She wouldn't have wanted you to feel so . . . angry about her death. She wouldn't - _doesn't_ want that for you."

"You don't understand." Wretching her arms away, Bonnie murmured absentmindedly, "She was the only one who _got_ me, what it feels to be a witch . . . I'm an outcast."

Irritation ran through my veins. _I _didn't understand how it felt like to be deserted? Considering that I was _a_ reincarnation of nature - not merely one among many running around in Mystic Falls, I was possibly the closest supernatural being who apprehended the word _outcast_. Swallowing down my pride just this once, I told her sullenly, "Stop thinking you're alone. You're not."

"Char, I-I didn't mean it like that." With wide eyes, she was flustered at her choice of words and mumbled a hasty apology. "I'm going to go. I . . . erm, enjoy the parade." I couldn't stop my friend from initiating her escape and silently waited on my spot as she disappeared past the next corner. If I knew anything about Bonnie and her independence, I could comprehend her need for space.

I made the mistake of assuming the rest of the day would be free of surprises and regaled down the street to my heart's content. Unfortunately, fate was just never on my side and my moment of entertainment didn't last for more than three hours. A familiar, tall blond intervened my path to the Mystic Grill, his hand shooting out of nowhere and pulling me abruptly into the dark alley. My body rushed with adrenaline - ready to fight or flee, only to crash with hesitance when I recognized the weary face of my godfather.

"John? W-What do you want?" I hissed in surprise. His hazel eyes regarded me quickly, tingeing with puzzling relief until my phone began to ring. I took it out of my bag and jumped when he suddenly snatched it, briefly checking the contact number glowing on the screen and pressing the ignore button. Right in front of me - much to my bewilderment, he tapped _a few more _tabs to erase my entire phone history. "Hey, who called? That's my phone - what do you think you're doing!?"

"Trust me," was all he muttered.

"I forgave you. That doesn't exactly mean I trust you right now."

John didn't appear to care about the difference and glanced around cautiously. Our relationship was a peculiar one; once befuddling, then ruined, and now . . . _fragile._ I still had the strangest feeling whenever I saw him - that he would leave again, totally out of the blue, without explaining. It was safe to say I obtained abandonment issues throughout the years. "Char, listen very carefully to me. I want you to go home."

Bewildered at his command, I tried to take my phone back with a sneer and failed. It ended up in his jacket pocket - why? I honestly had no clue. My face would've flushed red with rage at his actions if it hadn't been for the his apparent obduracy. "Home? But why? The day's barely over-"

"It doesn't matter. You can't be anywhere near here."

I refused to budge and started to glare at the blond. Never had I appreciated anyone telling me what to do. "Why? What's happening?"

His tone held no room for arguments. "Char, I need you to leave._ Now_."

"But . . . what about Winnie? I didn't drive - I mean, I don't even have a driver's licence." I staggered back to the lighted area of the pavement, managing to question, "What's going on? You're kinda freaking me out, John."

"He's fine - nowhere near harm. Your friends are inside. Ask them for a ride, alright?" He came all the way here to warn me? About what though? In my knowledge, my godfather wasn't aware that I knew anything about the supernatural, not in the way that I was alerted with John's indeterminate involvement with Isobel. Or at least, I hoped. _Not everything revolves around vampires_, I reminded myself, giving the early thirty year old blond the benefit of the doubt. John offered a miniscule of a smile to soothe my alarm before walking down the sidewalk. "Just do what I say for now; stay safe."

"What was that about?" Matt's voice asked from afar - though it wasn't directed to me, breaking the late silence.

Clearing my throat, I turned to see him, Caroline, and Tyler opening the double doors of the Mystic Grill. They all wore matching expressions of confusion as they made their way to a silver Jeep. "Eh, whatever it was," Tyler muttered in annoyance, "my dad loves to overdramatize."

"The mayor was yelling-"

He interrupted my second cousin with a snort. "He's weird. Leave it at that."

"Hey, guys!" I called out, sprinting to their sides. "Um, where are you guys going?"

"Chardonnay! Where have you been? I'm not sure why but Damon was calling for you earlier. I don't even know why my ex-boyfriend still has my phone number." With her arm looped around Matt's, Caroline added uncertainly, "And the mayor, er, he kind of just told us to go home. We're riding to Tyler's house."

Matt frowned at his girlfriend. "No, we're not-"

"_Yes_, we are. We're finishing celebrations there."

They didn't seem to be panicked about the unexpected order to retire early and I inquired, "Oh, uh, you know why?" I wasn't comfortable with relying everything on John's word, particularly my younger brother's wellbeing.

Tyler rolled his eyes. "It's probably nothing."

My stare flickered to the inside of the half-empty restaurant, lingering on the public phones posted beside the bathroom entrances. If Damon was trying to get a hold of me, it must've been important. Then again, Damon loved to prank call me early in the mornings and late at nights . . . "Is there room for one more?"

"Sure! What about Winnie? He's with Nicole?" Caroline grinned at my grimace. "Aw, envy doesn't do you justice, Chardonnay. It's a part of growing up for guys."

At the boys snickers, I blushed. "Whatever. Let's just go."

The snug couple claimed the backseats of the Jeep while I took the front passenger seat next to dark-haired football player, happily taking advantage of the thawing features it provided for my butt. Noticing the side button pressed, Tyler let out a laugh and I retaliated by smacking him on the shoulder. He had no right to tease when he, so clearly right in front of me, had done the same. Winter was fading into yesterday as spring was slowly arriving, but the weather was still chilly at February nights. It was the reason fog and whiffs of mist clouded the rims of the car's windows.

Almost childishly, Caroline and I drew misshapen hearts and smiley faces. Then the moods drifted downward when Tyler and Matt were reluctant to speak with each other, forcing Caroline and I - once again - to fill in the tense silence. Embarrassingly so, we ran out of things to talk about at the seven minute mark of our ride and quietly listened to the classical music that played inside the mayor's car. I had only made myself comfortable when the Jeep gave a violent swerve to the right, the temple of my forehead crashing straight into the thick glass.

"Ow!" Rubbing my head, I cried out, "What the hell?"

"D-Do you hear that?" Tyler gasped, his face twisting into pain. His arm jerked forward again and the car edged closer to the curb of the road, shocked yells ringing in the air. _"Argh!"_

"Dude! Watch the road!" Matt warned agitatedly.

Slightly composed, Caroline steadied herself and grasped onto the headset behind me. "What's wrong? Hear what?"

He choked, "That noise-!"

We all jumped, our ears pulsing sharply, when he began to scream. A sheen layer of sweat covered his awfully pale face, throbbing veins protruding on his forehead. "What noise!?" I demanded, my heart racing.

"Tyler! What's happening?" Caroline anxiously yelled, "Tyler!?"

"The wheel! Char, get the wheel!"

Matt pushed on my shoulder when I was stiff frozen in horror and my hands instantly gripped onto the leather rims cluelessly. With my lack of experience, I barely did any good when I only wailed, "I-I don't know how to drive! W-What do I do?"

The streets were passing by way too fast to offer any assurance for our survival, my eyes aching at the quick blur of shaded colors. When I tugged the steering wheel to the left - away from the tree that threatened to crash against the car's hood, the whole Jeep hurtled forward. There were intimidating echoes of limbs smacking against the plastic leather doors, the noise trailing after the pants for oxygen. It didn't help when Tyler - under the thick haze of agony - accidentally smashed his hard elbow under my chin, causing my arms to pull the wheel to my right.

"Ugh-!"

"No, watch out!" Caroline shouted before my eyes shut closed in preparation for the collision. All I heard next was screeching, metal rubbing mercilessly against the pavement. The last thing I remember was the sudden, splintering pain on my outstretched leg, but I couldn't even cry out in pain. From the blow directed against my chest - most likely from the force of the air bags, my lungs were dry of air. I was in pain; then I felt nothing at all.

_"Chardonnay!"_

* * *

-The New World-

1025

Silence.

It was all that was gifted to me as I stared at Elijah's frozen figure, nearing absentmindedly. The sun was setting over the horizon, gathering the shadows it cast into a flat dimension of oblique darkness. Kafele had taken it upon himself to lead Tatia and Charlotte to Lilly's abode; it seemed that he had always been the one assigned to compel Tatia, much to my dismay. He did not seem guilty once he was aware of what I had learned, nor did I try to rebuke him. I was too dejected to protest.

A few steps away stood the scorched remains of Tatia's stone cottage, a dark trail of smoke steamed upward to the darkened sky. Such a hypocrite I was, reprehending Elijah and his family for ruining the lives of my family, only to destroy the safe place Tatia called home. A long period of time had already lapsed by, but I barely acknowledged it, somewhat enclosed in my own negligence. There was nothing for me to say at that moment and I refused to move from my spot on the ground.

For now, Elijah settled to linger nearby, leaving me alone to ponder. He seemed to be concentrating on his own and I did not dare make a sound to halt his quiet contemplation. My head was filled to the brink with anxiety towards Ayana's warning, for I would have been a fool to ignore it so imprudently. Ayana was dead, struck by Mikael's hand, as I would be in a matter of days. Or would it be mere moments? I could literally feel the paranoia nipping at the inner chambers of my mind, and couldn't stop the shiver that shook my deathly still body.

_No . . . he is not here. Not yet. _Tracing the scattered ashes beneath my worn sandals, my fingers were smudged with black powder. _This is my fault._

The connection with Ayana - it had been similar to the exchange of energy, but in this sense, the process of it was much more complex than I first realized; and it frightened me. If Mikael wished the deaths of Niklaus and possibly his own children simply because of their preternatural immortality - their offenses to nature, then was he in the right to kill me as well? I did not accomplish my duty to maintain order and balance, nor did I strive to. There was also the case of . . . _it_ . . . the twilight of my personality. It was easy to sense it within me, feeding vivaciously off my fear. Would the day be fast approaching when it would slip past its barriers and unleash its hunger for power on the world?

Aside my trepidation, I could hardly control _it_, or the elemental gifts I was blessed with. I was . . . weak. It was getting clearer to me - to everyone - that I was _defective_ of what was accustomed to nature's reincarnations. I also cared and worried - even loved - _her_ supposed abominations, and in addition to my defilement, I was presently against any scheme for their demise. No; I found myself not bearing it. _I too do not wish to die._

As if sensing the direction of my thoughts, Elijah's eyes opened and his steady gaze landed on me. "You will not die." He sounded so sure of himself that if I had not experienced Ayana's last breath, I would have quickly believed his words.

My voice cracked from its short retirement. "I-I could not control myself."

"She will not blame you,"

Suddenly sneering, I argued, "Do not compel her again, Elijah. Thrice was enough."

He shook his head at me. "It takes plenty to master your gifts. Tatia surely knew that." When I just stared in reply, Elijah murmured, "In the topic of my father, Rebekah and Henrik . . . Klaus . . . they will not allow such a fate bestowed on you. Kafele must have informed them by now."

"I do not think that is enough. What of the red-haired pair?"

"You doubt us, the forefathers, because of Drusa and Caius?" When I nodded limply, he answered in a slightly amused tone, "They cannot compare to the strength of my siblings. They cannot hurt you."

"And Yvonne? H-How did she become one of you?" I questioned, recalling her deceased prey from yesterday afternoon. I did not have to ask the identity of her sire, for it was obvious it had been Niklaus' doing.

Elijah tilted his head to the side, the corners of his tinted lips curving down. "My brother is strangely welcoming for any type of entertainment, including his women. Exchanging blood is a common interaction between lovers. Had she died without his blood in her system, Yvonne would have remained a corpse." Then he too must have heard their boisterous rogueries in their shared bed.

I was immediately flustered when a hint of spite spoiled my conciousness and when I heard Elijah's weary sigh, I blushed. I could not be blamed when I did not know how to compose these odd feelings of predicated tenderness and jealousy. Hopefully they were solely Laelia's dawdling emotions, and not mine. "Did you see me those centuries ago? As Laelia?"

"Heidi, distractions will do you no good."

Cringing at his abrupt sharp tone, I hurried to my feet. He knew of my pathetic plot to avoid the subject of my death. _My arranged death . . . _I repeated in shock. "Elijah, I will die-"

He unwittingly began to glare under his subtle frustration. "Do not frighten yourself with mindless possibilities of _what ifs_." Elijah started to walk. "It is getting dark, and you have had enough of air. We must leave."

"Wait. Even if Mikael was to somehow fail and I am to live," I pressed, gathering confidence to finish my sentences. There was something else that had taken my concern during my mediation, regarding my humanity. "I will still cease to exist as Heidi - as _me_. I may continue on living, but I will eventually grow old - _too_ old, and the cycle will repeat. . . . I will be reborn as someone else."

"I was never in favor of your transition," he replied icily.

"That was not my inclination, but I am curious as to why you oppose." At his silence, I prompted, "If you answer me this . . . then I shan't speak of Ayana's warning in such an aimless manner. I will believe, for my sake alone, that I shall survive." _Do you not love me at this moment?_ Did_ you not love me as Berenike?_

There was that expression on his handsome, youthful face, and for the first time since I first saw him, he actually appeared his age - his true age of a thousand years. Elijah looked timeworn and fatigued, facing the inquiry he seemed to have chanced before; and I was right. "This is not the first time for me to encounter such a question."

My eyes narrowed. "Tell me of her."

Elijah hesitated, biding his time. "You were young, foolish. As a merchant's daughter, you wanted stability from the years of constant traveling . . . You wanted a child." Was that the cause of his nostalgia, my longing? When I remained determined, he unwillingly remarked, "You had died two too many times, Heidi. Your second death - it was difficult to prevail."

"And . . ? Why not force me through the transition?"

"Do you really think so low of me - that I would command a woman through brute force and out of selfishness?" At my overflowing shame, he confessed, "It did not matter in the end for you did not fail to return. You stand before me after hundreds of years."

"Yet you still do not answer my feelings today." Apprehensive, I stepped forward. "The days - they are limited, no?"

He offered the slightest display of a smile and attested, "I am a man of my word. Though I do admit the heedfulness in my sayings, I hold to my oaths when need be. You will not die, I promise."

I protested, finally angry, "That is not fair! Elijah-"

"I will not hear it," he interrupted sharply.

My voice grew weary. "And what if we only have this evening? You still refuse to hear me out?"

"No, what I _refuse_ is to believe that misfortune. We will have tomorrow; we have . . . time."

"I-If that is what you wish," I whispered, practically heartbroken, unable to meet his eyes anymore. Accepting my shaky nod, Elijah mutely led me back to the Lilly's abode. There were so many things left unsaid - so many things others had planned, and we were both painfully aware of the things staying unfinished. Unfortunately, we did not know . . . _everything._

Elijah and I couldn't have realized that this was an evening he would forever recall as one of his biggest regrets. He would eventually learn the fleeting lesson of making a promise and the consequences of not being able to keep it.


	24. Till We Meet Again

_Sorry for another late update! We FINALLY reached season two - and it only took twenty-four chapters, haha! I edited this like four times since I literally had no clue on how to go on from here. Call it a serious case of writer's block. __**WARNING: Time skip everyone, for both POVs! Some things have changed which will be explained later on. Char's POV takes place in episode 4 of season 2.**__ Varvara is back! I was just waiting for the time when Katherine would FINALLY meet Char. No offense intended to any historical mistakes on the medieval towns I chose - this is fanfiction, so some of the facts here are made up. Oh, has anyone watched the Original spinoff? I did recently, and I came up with a great idea for season four, but that's still a long way to go from here . . . Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can! _-Lady Shiri

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

**Till We Meet Again**

-Kavarna, Bulgaria-

1490

Gracefully returning the porcelain cup to the table, I met the cool gaze of my younger sister, who recently turned fifteen. Anastasiya seemed much more mature now that she understood the basic rules of aristocratic society. In other words, a lot of changes were to be expected during the autumn season. My younger sister did not appear like her once childish self - her hazelnut hair lengthened to her narrow waist, her eyes filled with calculating mischief, and her round lips freshly rouged with pale pink lipstick. She certainly grew up, but unfortunately, so did her competitive taste for victory and her swelling pride.

As we partook on afternoon tea, the pompous expression that marred her gentle features did not slip from her face. "Do you not find their vacancies strange?" She questioned out of the blue, her tone all too virtuous. I merely raised an eyebrow when she didn't wait for my answer. "For example, Katerina Petrova has avoided the public's eye for eight months."

Considering Katerina was able to hide her bulging stomach for the first three months of her pregnancy, the truth about her disappearance was easily concealed. The guilt of her current welfare burdened my mind since it had been my fault that Paskal was provoked. Then again, if I were to confess my dealings with Katerina herself, she would argue otherwise. I lied, "She is sick. Her absence is already condoned by the ladies." When I said _by the ladies_, I meant by our mother. Attendance meant too much to the aging brunette, for in her eyes, it played a major part in one's reputation.

"Will she miss her own debut?"

I confidently said, "No." Katerina would be healed then, and perhaps, be given a chance to move on from her naïve shame.

"And what of the Ignatieva clan? Surely they cannot disappear altogether when some lords and ladies still dwell in their summer homes here,"

"They were simply honorable guests, Anastasiya." I saw the flinch that quivered her body when she caught the patronizing tone in my voice. As heartless as it sounded, I did not offer her consolation and continued, "Their stay was not planned to linger on for a handful of months, especially when Lord Ignatieva has duties to fulfill before winter arrives."

"That is it?"

Suspicion blossomed in the pit of my stomach. "What piqued your interest with the belated subject?"

She managed a gentle shrug of her shoulder. "You know how the ladies love to gossip. I am not the only one curious for the answers."

When silence drew out, I presumed that was the last of her questions and slightly slumped in my seat, basking under the warmth of the sun. My parasol remained hidden in my room, unused and certainly unwanted, though being seen without it would result in a disappointed scolding from our mother. She preferred our fair, light tans to the dark skins of the hard-working commoners, pointedly ignoring the sun-baked color of Father's own tan. He was not only a member of blue-blood prestige, but also a sailor at heart from all the adventures he experienced as a boy.

If anyone was to understand my need of free will, it was my father.

Of his given land, it was appropriate that the wealthy town of Kavarna was a sea port, rich with trade and crowded with peculiar travelers - all of different skins. It was pleasant during the kind seasons of spring and summer, and during those times, other aristocrats around Bulgaria would travel here to escape the responsibilities of their birthright. Anastasiya suddenly asked, stubborn, "Are you implying that they returned to their land in the north?"

Fighting back a grimace, I remarked, "If Mother ever catches your determination to speak of such gossip, you can picture her reproach."

"Would you tell her?"

"No, but it's best to leave the dreaded topic. It'll ruin the afternoon."

Anastasiya bristled but complied. "And what of your union with Lord Cvetkov? I suspect things are going well with the preparations?"

At the sound of my new suitor's name, I forced a smile. "You speak of Teodor . . ?" I was far from pleased when my mother had been eager to tell me about another lord's son, and even furious when I discovered my family's long forgotten promise to the lord's grandfather of providing a bride to one of his heirs. It explained my mother's impatience with me and my views on marriage, but knowledge came with the price of despair. My most likely betrothal to the lord's son was the means of maintaining my family's honor . . . and it was inevitable that I would marry him.

The ever dashing Teodor Cvetkov - another handsome suitor who whispered sweet nothings into the ears of blushing maidens - was of distinguishable background, considering he was the older cousin of Dimitar and Paskal. Aside from being eleven years my senior, I did not learn much from the man I had yet to meet. He lived up north in a small town called Elena - which was far from Kavarna's beaches, but closer to the mountains. _I will leave my family and my home the moment I am united with him . . . and I am to leave Kavarna. _My stomach twisted at my foreboding thoughts. _I am doomed._

My mother's endeavors to pair me with Dimitar ceased and were quickly forgotten when he left, though it hardly did any to soothe my strife. I had been true to the words I swore to Paskal and for that, the Ignatieva family left Kavarna clouded in shame and secrecy. My questionable actions were of my own doing, but my only regret lied with the eldest son; even if I did not find a _husband_ within the young lord, he was a worthy friend to have. "Pleasant," I responded vaguely.

A smirk threatened to appear on her lips as if to ask me, _is it really?_ "Please do tell."

"The matters of my personal affairs," I clarified, "are my own."

My sister sighed. "From what I heard, men do not desire such _uptight_ ladies. I am merely interested on how you captured his interest . . . by yourself, if I may be so bold to inquire."

"You always are," I noted, annoyed.

She was hinting that Teodor wanted our pairing only for the wedding dowry, the recognition, and for the shallow desire of having a beautiful wife in his arm. She wasn't wrong though. I already knew Teodor was unreasonably ambitious compared to my other humble suitors from the letters we were urged to exchange. It wasn't unusual for possible betrotheds to be complete strangers during their wedding day, but since Teodor and I were not yet engaged - and my father wished me love, something Mother didn't initially have at their past engagement - we were slowly getting acquainted. Teodor had yet to win my favor though.

I asked, "Do you have a boy in mind?"

"A _boy_?" She began to sneer as her delicate hands clenched into fists. "I am a woman, Varvara, not a girl. A grown man would match me well, or do you disagree?"

"You're fifteen."

Anastasiya remarked, "And if it were your way, you would remain a maiden until you reach senile age. Not every girl possesses pristine views like yours."

I scrutinized her carefully. "Is there someone who you fancy, Anastasiya?" As always, I didn't like the glint that crossed her green hazel eyes. Before she could answer, however, Tsveta ran across the terrace.

"Lady Varvara, Lady Anastasiya." Now that she was closer, I saw the panic in her expression. She curtsied and whispered above the shell of my ear, _"It's almost time."_

_Katerina's baby . . ._ My travel to the Petrova household was halted by my sister's suspicion, but I easily slipped past the wooden fence and entered the mansion with my maidservant in tow. I spent many heedful minutes looking at each corner for my mother's shadow and was relieved to find none as I reached the carriage. Tsveta stayed loyally at my side, but I would catch a nervous twitch that ran through her tiny frame. She seemed pale under the sunlight.

"You know what you must do," I told her when the carriage stopped. Opening the door, the coachman offered his hand and assisted me down before closing it behind me.

"I will not fail you, and your mother will not hear of this," she said determinedly.

"My lady," Bilyana greeted once she invited me inside, casting a curious glance towards the carriage heading for Cvetkov's property. My attention, on the other hand, was taken by an odd figure looming at the greeting hall. He was eyeing several bronze pieces with greedy interest. "Please hurry! She has been asking for you since this morn."

In a hard tone, I questioned, "Why was I not informed earlier?"

"Secrecy, my lady. It is what everyone wishes for this . . . _event_ . . . to remain." She noticed my frown and continued, "And it was also the wish of the master of this house. He did not want word spilling out."

"A vendetta on my part, perhaps?"

Bilyana flushed at my implication. "It is not my place to say."

Katerina's yells of pain and her mother's soft encouragement could be heard from the front door. I paid no attention to the interior decor of Katerina's abode and rushed up the stairs, panicked, not even noticing Katerina's father as he stood at the entrance to her bed chambers. He didn't seem to mind my presence for once and made way. Her father had been furious the second he heard of Katerina's pregnancy, and at his rage, had the audacity to shun all the nobles of Kavarna. Then he grudgingly grew calmer when he heard of Paskal's secret exile, but it didn't do much to quench his fury towards the Ignatieva family . . . or towards me for my social influence on his spirited daughter.

"A little more," I heard Nadelya Petrova urge. "Just push a little more, darling."

_"Aah!" _I grimaced at the sight of Katerina's tears. Her dark curls were tangled into a bird's nest, her body matted with layers of sweat and her pretty face scrunched up in agony. She screamed, "M-Mama, argh! Please make it stop, it hurts! I cannot - I can't anymore!"

Grasping her slick hand, I soothed, "I'm here, Katerina, I'm here."

She gave my fingers a mighty squeeze, blubbering, "Varvara, I-I'm tired-"

"Just a little more," I echoed her mother's words as I caringly brushed away the drenched hair from her forehead. My dearest friend looked weak beyond compare, and my worry intensified threefold. There were some instances when mothers died after childbirth, but I refused to believe Katerina would ever leave her daughter parentless. She was too determined for that. "You can do this for your child."

A flicker of determination colored her flushed face. "Yes, once more," her mother said, reading her expression. Katerina cried out loud when she pushed one last time and squeezed my hand in a tight grip. I fought back a squeal of my own, but the pain was instantly forgotten when her newborn's wail filled the bedchamber. Nadelya scuttled forward to cradle her grandchild in her arms, a look of awe shining in her warm gaze. "I-It is a girl, Katerina. She is beautiful . . ."

I softly laughed as relief and pride rushed through me and rubbed Katerina's sore shoulders. "Congratulations, my friend. You have a daughter."

With watery eyes, she reached her trembling arms out. "L-Let me see her, Mama. I want to see-"

"No," a stern voice interrupted, breaking the tender moment between the females of their family. Katerina's father walked inside and without so much as a glance at his newly-born granddaughter, took her from his wife. "You have disgraced this family by bearing this . . . _bastard_. Her father does not acknowledge her, neither will I."

"Papa, wait - _please_ wait!" As Katerina begged, her mother held her tightly in a makeshift hug. I did not dare speak against him, for it was seen as disrespectful for a girl to correct a man in his own house and in front of all his family. "Let me hold my daughter! Father, do not-!" Her choked pleas left her throat when he swiftly left the room.

"It is for the best," whispered a melancholic Nadelya Petrova. "She will not have a good life here, Katerina."

She shook her head stubbornly. "But Mama . . . please . . ."

After a long moment of silence and tears, I couldn't watch Katerina fall apart in front of me and pushed myself up to my feet, following the newborn's cries all the way to the front of the mansion; their home wasn't as spacious as mine nor was it built with the same sturdy wood, but it was durable enough. To my disbelief, I saw her father hand over Katerina's daughter to the hooded figure I had seen earlier. They were concealed through a thin veil of velvet in the study, the door ajar. "Take her away from here and leave the baby to any passing family," he ordered.

"My payment?" A gruff voice questioned. A small sack appeared in Katerina's father's hand, the metal inside clinking noisily together.

"When you return, you shall have the rest of it. Five more pieces of precious silver."

Gathering courage, I hid from sight and dashed past the entryway at the back of the kitchens. The few maids who worked for the Petrova family gasped in shock at my presence, confused whether to curtsy or gape at my unladylike display. Once I was outside, I quickened my pace around the gardens and ran to the stables where I caught the glimpse of the cloaked man. It was difficult for me to move quickly in a grand dress such as mine, but I also didn't make a habit of picking up my skirts in front of strangers. He was retrieving his stallion from the stable boys when I demanded, out of breath, _"Stop!"_

Three heads simultaneously turned to me, only two bowing in respect. At our proximity, I realized the man was the same age as my father, his tanned but ruined skin branded with scars. He was threatening . . . but I was authoritative. "Who are _you_?" He sneered, revealing crooked teeth. The stable boys exchanged uneasy looks, but were dismissed when I waved them off.

"Never mind who I am, sir," I replied breezily once we were alone at the grassy field, "But I must ask where you intend to take that baby."

He scoffed. "Go home, little girl, before I tell your master."

I stormed ahead of him, successfully blocking him from entering the stables again. "I insist you tell me."

The old man chuckled, but it sounded wrong. There was no mirth, but merely bitterness and indignation. "What nerve. Poking in my business that is not yours."

"Threats hardly catch my panic," I informed him, yelping when I was suddenly shoved aside. My feet twisted underneath me and I fell over the long grazes of grass. "Why I never-! Sir!" Never had someone treat me so crudely without much regard for they feared retribution.

He ignored my calls and climbed his horse in a surprisingly graceful manner - as if he had been doing that for all his life - with the baby tucked under his arm. His dark robes shifted to show a glistening sword strapped on his leather belt. At its refinery, I presumed it was stolen from the knight it originally belonged to. _A thief_, I concluded, _he's a thief._

"You already know who I am," I blurted out. After all, it was his job to know of these things.

The man stared at me - or the pieces of jewelry on my ears and neck. Unfortunately for him and the ill intentions that began to grow in his head, I preferred simplicity and the jewelry I presently wore weren't luxurious. "Not enough." Before he could pull on the reins, I jumped in front of it. The horse's legs were inches from kicking me unconscious and was forced to turn back to the stables' gate, letting out a long whine. "Insolent, _stupid_-"

I interrupted heatedly as my stomach queased, "Tell me where you are taking her. _Now!_"

His pale blue eyes glared at me. "Wench, get out of my way. I will not repeat myself for insubordinate ears."

"Gold," I snapped, refusing to blush at the insults thrown at me. "I can offer you gold for information. Does that catch your fancy?"

Now the man was speculative. "From the fabric of your dress . . . to your manner of speaking . . . I suppose you _have_ this gold?"

"They're better than silver."

"My deeds are already paid for, child. My loyalties are bought." He didn't question how I knew of the silver, but the tone in his voice was curious, even slightly amused. "Tell me, where is the honor in accepting - hmm, what was it? - little girls' _gold_?"

I narrowed my eyes at his mockery, using my wits. "From that stolen sword you currently obtain, I can only guess you are a less than honorable man. You have loyalties to no one."

"Incorrect," the man mused. Chary, I couldn't help but notice his hold on the reins pulling back so the horse could charge ahead.

_Think, Varvara! _This was Katerina's child. I could not allow her father to send his only granddaughter to the unknown, poor and defenseless. "Your loyalties are to greed." I continued when he seemed to pause, "I will offer you five pieces of gold, far more expensive than handful of silver, if you do something for me."

He ridiculed, not bothering to hide his nasty smile, "And what is that, eh, kid?"

Ignoring his disbelief - and the fact he hadn't even agreed to my proposal, I inched closer. "Take the baby up north, near the edge of the mountains, to the town of Elena."

* * *

-Mystic Falls, Virginia-

2010

_Her clear voice languidly rang over the slow beats of what sounded like a cardiac monitor, but I didn't respond, stuck in-between the states of unconsciousness and apprehension. "What a . . ._ sexy_ idiot, feeding mother nature tainted blood. He almost killed you with such ignorance. So disappointing."_

Who is this? E . . . Elena?

_"Then again, he's still quite appetizing. It's amazing Damon hasn't lost his odyl after all these years." I tried to bring myself out of my slumber, but my body throbbed with retired agony, my muscles and bones unbelievably weary. It was difficult to move; even breathing proved exhausting. Each inhale sent shockwaves of pain throughout my body. It was like I had broken a rib or two. "Consider my debt paid," she cooed as I slipped deeper into the darkness._

_A startled moan rumbled in my throat when cool skin pressed against my parted lips._ W-What is she doing? _Steady yet delicious flows of energy deluged past my jaw and sunk within my sweat-covered skin, awakening each and every sore nerve._

_I was somehow absorbing her life force to heal my own wounds, like a vampire without the iconic fangs. The more I grew aware with my circumstances, the more I felt trapped in my position. I was lying down in a warm cot - wrapped in gauze and bandages; a plastic mouthpiece was shoved inside my mouth with a thin tube squeezing into my airway. I began to choke under my building panic, feebly struggling at the bonds that held me down. Still, I hadn't realized it was too early to move, foolishly becoming bold at the granted strength. The_ burn_ of all my injuries arose in consequence and I whimpered._

_A cold hand suddenly rested on my wrist, halting my tugs as an icy chill ran down my spine. _Vampire . . ?_ my conscience warned groggily._

_She mocked, "It'd be a shame if you hurt yourself now. I just found you." With great effort, my eyes managed to flutter open only for a millisecond before shutting close in exhaustion; but that was enough to catch a shady glimpse of Elena's face, framed with long luscious curls. A peculiar smirk was set on her full mouth, her expression oozing seductive arrogance and malicious frivolity. This wasn't the Elena Gilbert I knew and befriended. "We're together again, Varvara, just like old times."_

Varvara? There goes her name again!

_"I wonder how things will turn out differently compared to the fourteen hundreds . . ." It wasn't long for sleep to take over and Elena - no, this twin of hers - was merciful enough to let me drown in my own unconsciousness. ". . . because last time, I distinctly remember _them_ killing you in cold blood-"_

"Chardonnay? You alright?" Jumping on my spot, I turned in my seat to see my second cousin standing in the doorway. I had been lost in my thoughts for several minutes, keeping to myself at the corner of Elena Gilbert's foyer. My eyes drifted further down the hall as a silent answer. Jenna and Alaric's loud chatter in the kitchen could be heard, even from this distance, and the mouth-watering smell of our dinner accompanied their mumblings. She guessed, "Oh, you're just hungry?"

My voice was thick with weariness. "I can wait a little longer."

Concern flashed in her baby blue eyes and I watched as they narrowed with suspicion. "Does your head hurt? Or your leg?"

"No."

"Oh . . . well, you've been in a daze since you were released from the hospital a few hours ago. Even the doctor said it was a bad idea for you to leave this early, especially after being asleep for days." When I remained quiet, Caroline smoothed her expression into a beam of asserted happiness, but it didn't take a genius to notice her confidence was dwindling. "Uh, I can fetch some aspirin for you if you want. No? Then, let me help-"

Her words faltered when I flinched away from her vampiric touch. We quickly found ourselves in an awkward situation; I was pressing myself against the arm of the chair while Caroline had her arms outstretched in front of her, ready to assist. She grimaced when I stared at her in the way I would stare at a stranger. My guilt grew when her pink glossed lips slightly trembled, like she was fighting back the urge to cry. I shook my head, sighing, "Sorry, Care. Force of habit."

At the nickname, Caroline managed to smile a strained smile. "It's hard for you, isn't it? To be around others like me."

"A little," I confessed. It would take a while for me to get used to the fact she also knew about my being a supernatural reincarnate.

"Yeah, and this isn't the first reaction of dislike . . . Bonnie feels the same way."

I straightened upright, sympathetic. Witches did not mix well with vampires, most of nature's servants nurturing the feelings of hate and _loathing_. Bonnie might've expressed distrust towards the blonde, but I was confident Bonnie wouldn't be able to simply toss away years of friendship just because of Caroline's transition. "She'll come around."

Caroline frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "I've heard that before. From you, Elena, Stefan-"

"You have to understand that her grandmother died _because_ of vampires."

"And it's not like I died too," she muttered bitterly.

Remorse stabbed my heart. I disregarded the key factor that was needed to begin the transition; death. My second cousin had died - she was supposed to be six feet under right now - but here she was standing beside me, and perhaps that was why I was so hard on her. I had yet to accept that she was, is, and will be a breathing carcass for all time, blessed with immortality and _stuck_. Slowly, I reached for her hand, but it was her turn to inch back this time. "Caroline, I'm-"

"Don't, okay? Never mind me. Just . . . don't."

From the massive dam that Alaric and Damon unleashed upon me this morning - containing both relieving and disastrous belated news, learning that Caroline had been turned into a vampire by Katherine, who was by the way presently strutting the streets of Mystic Falls, made the top of my list to gawk about. I assumed things couldn't get worse than that, but apparently destiny really hated my guts. Thanks to the rumored conniving nature of Katherine Pierce and the way things turned out the past few days during my slumber, my brother had the misfortune of following Jeremy's footsteps. He too was now aware of vampires, witches, and werewolves - their discovery made by the Salvatore brothers themselves.

And the result of my lies was absolutely horrible.

Winslow refused to talk to me, much less visit me in the hospital. I was sick with anxiety, now that I knew Katherine was around, and his cold shoulder wasn't making it easier for my nerves to calm down. It was only when Alaric promised to keep an eye on him did I afford to relax. From what the history teacher told me, Winslow had glued himself to either Jeremy or Nicole and completely ignored my friends. He even went so far as to stay over the Armstrongs' household to avoid Caroline at home.

Truthfully, I appreciated Jeremy's presence in his life since he was the only one to understand what Winslow was going through, making me realize how similar Elena and I were when it came to protecting our younger brothers. The doe-eyed brunette was on my side in this argument which strengthened our friendship compared to before. Speaking of who, Elena walked in to join our tense group. "Food's not ready yet, but the adults nearly burned the kitchen down."

"Great."

Her dark brown eyes flickered to the two of us and she questioned, "Everything okay in here?"

"Super," Caroline chirped, faking the light tone. She snatched the bowl of chips from the wooden drawer and eased her way to the patio. "I need air."

Elena fiddled with her phone as she plopped down to the foyer's chair, her gaze lowering to the bulky cast that encircled my right leg. After a long moment of silence, she blurted out, "It kind of makes sense why Damon's blood didn't work on you."

Looking up, I replied stiffly, "It's annoying as hell and totally unfair." Vampire's blood held healing qualities that would've rendered me free from this . . . walking death trap, but that choice for the easier road was never an option for me.

"You're nature's reincarnate and if I remember correctly, Bonnie said that vampires were nature's abominations. Two _complete_ polar opposites. If they're unclean in your eyes, then I guess their blood would be too. Instead of healing you, it poisoned you."

Fear bubbled in my stomach, but I forced it down. "You spoke to Bonnie? I thought she was keeping her distance."

She knew I wanted to change the subject. Talking about the stressful hours of my lingering near-death experience, it'd freak anyone out to comprehend how easy my life could've ended. "Just once, when we were all trying to figure out what was going on with you." I suddenly felt her hand on my shoulder. "Bonnie cares about you a lot, Char. We all do and with what happened before-"

"What's with the sentimental mush? I'm not dead." _Caroline is, though._

"Look, when someone gets hurt, it would take a few gulps of vampire blood to get fixed up and it's like nothing ever happened. It worked with Bonnie and Jeremy . . . Winslow . . . but you won't have that privilege. You need to be careful since Katherine is here, especially when your, er, powers aren't working."

Shooting her a glare, I realized Elena was serious. My link to nature - to earth itself - felt weaker the second I regained consciousness. My affinities were temporarily cut off, leaving me _bare_. Bonnie had guessed it was the loitering trauma from the car crash. Never had I felt totally useless than I did at this moment, and that was an ugly feeling. "I can take care of myself."

"No, you _can't_. You're vulnerable now." She pushed, "Katherine can kill you."

"It's not like I can run away or anything," I joked, ignoring her disapproving scowl. "Besides, I don't plan on confronting Damon's ex-girlfriend any time soon. I don't have a death wish."

Relief colored her facial features but before she could respond, Alaric appeared with a frown. "You better not," he warned.

As Elena excused herself to make another phone call to her missing boyfriend, I let out a sigh, not clueless to why he was here. "That'd be stupid of me."

He wasn't afraid to retort, "You've been dumber. Admit it."

My history teacher had a point, but I wasn't going out of my way to say that out loud. ". . . Just help me up."

Alaric passed me the crutches that would be by my side for many weeks to come and tried not to hover when I stumbled to my feet. It was strange that he felt a sort of parental responsibility towards me, even Damon thought so too. With Isobel's disappearance, our friendship remained intact and the topic of my mother was long forgotten. However, the peace threatened to break when he directed me to the living room in an overly ginger manner. I disliked to be coddled - nothing beneficial came out of it.

"It's because of John, isn't it?" I murmured for his ears alone, anger boiling in my blood. My godfather abandoned Winslow and I once again, and I had been foolish enough to forgive him before. I wouldn't confess that John's sudden leaving wounded me more than it should've, even if it was the second time.

Alaric hesitated. I expected him to lie, but instead he told me the truth. "Yes. I suppose so."

I hated pity directed towards me; I hated everything about _it_. Nevertheless, I heard myself replying softly, "I . . . I appreciate your . . . help."

Disregarding his sheepish grin, I turned my attention to a man standing a few feet away. I couldn't call him a boy or a _guy_, not with that toned body of his. He was probably older than Damon - taller and leaner too with dark curls and a dimpled smile. An eyebrow rose on my face when I saw the devil himself behind the mysterious guest. Damon saluted me before taking down an alcoholic shot with one hand and mock cutting his throat with the other. It seemed he disliked him. "Oh, hey, Sweetie. You've patched up real nice, it looks. Almost got me worried."

"Good afternoon to you too . . ." I trailed off, confused at his antagonizing hint.

"You must be Char," the man greeted as his calculating brown eyes appraised me. "You're pretty popular. I've heard quite a lot about you from these guys."

I struggled to sit down with the lump on my leg. "Who are you?"

He moved to shake my hand and frowned when Damon interjected, placing a shot glass in my palm instead. "Watch yourself, dog," the dark-haired vampire joked rather menacingly.

Alaric made a face, remaining silent while snatching the shot glass away from my reach. He muttered something about Damon's immaturity as he walked to the kitchen, probably planning to hide any source of alcohol for the moment. It wouldn't have mattered, considering Damon was hiding a few bottles of his own champagne behind the television. "What's your problem?" The man asked, smirking. "Are you her jealous boyfriend or something?"

Annoyed, I glared at the childish men in front of me. "Um, ew?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Call me overprotective - you can even _thank me_ later Mason, but I don't want to watch my best friend ogle someone nearly half her age."

"Best friend?" I echoed.

Over my I'm-not-ogling-him arguments, Mason's laugh echoed in the living room and he plopped down the sofa across from me. "Don't misunderstand. I'd get in so much trouble with Tyler." Seeing my confusion, he explained, "I'm Tyler's uncle, Mason Lockwood. I'm . . . Richard's younger brother."

_The werewolf?_ I concealed my shock. Aside from paranormal, I had heard about the Mayor's death from Alaric and offered a nod. "Oh, er, I'm sorry for your loss."

The solemn mood was disrupted when Jenna, leaving the kitchen with Alaric trailing after her, suggested a game of Pictionary. "Here boys, drink up. It's something to take the edge off. And no, Char, I didn't mean you - give that back. Are you twenty-one yet?"

It wasn't long for laughter to fill the living room. With my leg cast, I passed on my several turns to play and silently watched everyone else. There was a tense atmosphere that surrounded Caroline and Elena and I even noticed the flirtatious glances exchanged between Alaric and Jenna. When the early thirty year old caught my stare, it surprised me when he appeared somewhat ashamed. I didn't question it though - I honestly didn't have time to process a few inquiries in my mind the moment Damon continued his turn. He drew a kangaroo . . . wearing an outrageous tutu.

"Dress! Ballerina!" Jenna screeched, almost spilling a few drops of her wine. She was drunk to put it frankly, and Alaric was caught between his emotions of displeasure and amusement.

Pointing enthusiastically, Caroline bounced in her spot. "Puppy! Puppy with a tutu!"

Damon faked disappointment. "Ooh, close, but no."

_"Dances with the wolves,"_ a quiet, entertained voice guessed. I turned to glance at Mason's challenging tone, puzzled. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"Mason wins . . . again."

Upset, Jenna struggled to her feet and pouted as she tripped into the kitchen. Elena was beside her in a hurry, far from happy with the way Damon was refilling her aunt's champagne glass. "How is that a wolf?"

Caroline nodded in agreement. "Your drawings suck."

"Bite me," Damon retorted. He would later regret that when he withstood the total blow of our quieting glares.

Things didn't get easier during dinner. The dark atmosphere clouded past my two friends and circled the grown ups. Alaric and Jenna threw scowls at Damon's direction while he tried his best to provoke Tyler's uncle. Miraculously, Mason kept his oblivious charm. All the while, I sat there with my plate of lasagna and broccoli, squeezed between Elena and Alaric. There were a few times when I caught Mason's gaze flickering to me, cautious yet intrigued. When I would meet his stare, he'd flash a disarming smile and carry on like he hadn't been scrutinizing my face so intently.

It also puzzled me more when Damon kept adding his vocal input with everything involving Tyler's uncle, particularly with his puns. Following Elena to the kitchen, Damon grinned at us. "Everyone's having a _howling_ good time, no? Dessert's up next."

_Is he trying to get himself in trouble?_

"Smells good." The corners of Mason's lips twitched as he questioned, "Hey, do you need an extra hand in there? I got into an accident once in the kitchen - cooking never was my forte - and I personally know that baking's sometimes a pain in the neck."

At the sound of Damon's huff, Alaric and I exchanged wary glances. _What the hell is going on with those two? _I stiffened when Caroline escaped to the living room, mumbling an excuse to miss dessert; apologies were still owed, but when were they going to be said?

"-okay? Char?"

Realizing Mason was talking to me, I blinked rather dumbly. "What?"

He smiled. "You and Tyler . . . are you two-"

"No," I answered, shaking my head. I might had preferred the friends-with-benefits idea compared to an actual relationship, but for some reason, I had a problem with doing such a thing with Tyler. It was the boy I was uneasy with since he was my friend, not just some attractive classmate of mine. "We're only friends."

"I know he's really sorry about the car accident," Mason began delicately as if I'd start chucking Jenna's baked macaroons at him. "He wanted to visit."

Throwing Alaric a knowing look, I didn't have to ask Mason why Tyler kept his distance. Alaric and Damon had scared him away with jabs against his conscience and pride. "Yeah, I heard. It's not his fault." I ended up kicking Alaric's chair when he opened his mouth to disagree.

"Why don't you start us off?" Damon asked as he reappeared, setting the pie right in front of Mason. If I knew any better, it seemed like Damon was taunting him.

"Sure." Instead of taking the dessert knife, he dug his hand into the crust and clumsily tore a piece out, licking his fingers clean afterwards. At our concerned expressions, Mason chuckled. "I apologize. I'm an animal in the dining room."

Jenna joked, "Must mean I'm doing something right with my food." To Alaric's disapproval, she filled her champagne glass to the brim and took a mighty swallow. I started to search for abandoned bottles and sadly came up with none, wallowing with my cup of apple juice. At least it _looked_ like beer.

"So you two _never_ dated?" Alaric asked carefully. I paused, eyeing their body language with new interest. Did my history teacher like Elena's aunt?

Mason laughed again. "Oh, no. She was lost in Logan Fell land."

"Argh, my first mistake." The strawberry-haired blonde looked almost wistful. "But Mason here, he was a catch. He had girls lining up."

A flash of ill-intent crossed Damon's gray blue eyes. "Really? That's interesting, 'cause I always pegged you as a lone wolf."

"I'm sure I wasn't half the lady killer you were," Mason remarked, making me suppress a giggle. He was dead on about the elder Salvatore . . . er, no pun intended. "Now, how about a toast? To new friends?"

". . . Of course. Why not?" Damon didn't appreciate being bested at his own game, but had dignity not to sulk.

On the other hand, I grumbled a few curses when Alaric poured me more apple juice in replacement to wine. "Seriously?" I was silenced with just one of Alaric's stern glares.

It didn't occur to me that Caroline and Elena both bailed on the rest of the barbeque until Jenna brought in Guitar Hero from Jeremy's room. I didn't have much to get angry on since Caroline was most likely irritated with my indecision, but I found the idea of being surrounded by adults completely weird. Much to my surprise, all they talked about were past high school experiences and last week's football game between Mystic Falls High and our neighboring rival. When it was time to leave, Jenna was the one who assisted me to the door.

"You guys sure? No more drinks at the Grill?" Mason shrugged on his leather jacket, sighing, "It's like I'm surrounded with adults here."

I scoffed, "I know the feeling,"

"Huh, I think I prefer _role model_, thank you very much." Jenna turned to me, her breath faintly tinged with alcohol, "And I hope you had fun with us oldies. It's nice to know you're okay."

"Thanks for inviting me. It was great."

Mason added to what I said, his foot already past the doorway. "Yeah, me too. It was awesome to catch up. Alaric, catch that game next week?"

"Go Timber Wolves," Alaric dryly replied. "I look forward to it."

"I should probably head out too. Sweetie, I'll drive you home." A hand suddenly ruffled my head with Damon saying, "Your ride ran away, right?"

"Shush!" Hurriedly finishing my own goodbyes with Alaric, I wobbled ahead to Damon's sports car in a better mood. Alaric had assured me about Winslow's welfare and promised to talk to him for the third time, all his effort on my behalf. I was making a lot of people angry with me now that I pondered over it. My bitterness about the car accident and my leg injury wasn't making it easier for me to keep placid. Once I blended with the shadows, I frowned when I heard Mason calling my name. "You're still here? I thought you'd be gone by now."

There was no greeting or cheery tone to his voice as he asked, "Do you care about Tyler?" His abrupt question dumbfounded me.

"Tyler?" I repeated blankly, shifting on my feet. "What do you mean?"

He shook his head, running his fingers through his wavy locks. "I want what's best for him, Char. If you cared, then you would too."

Without another word, Mason continued down the road. His personality switch, nearing that of bipolarity, unsettled my nerves. I obviously cared about Tyler. _Then what does my friendship with him have anything to do with Mason?_ I didn't wait long for Damon to arrive with a distraught look on his face. He seemed relieved when he saw me standing and breathing beside his antique baby. That all changed when I bluntly said, "Hurry up, old man."

"Watch it." Damon corrected impatiently. "I'm not that old."

The next half hour in Damon's car was spent with me demanding what he was planning, and him ignoring my inquiries. In fact, he found my curiosity amusing - his new source of entertainment. "Angering a werewolf?" Finally aware of what he planned, I breathed, "You're an idiot."

"To think I was worried for you . . ." Damon rolled his eyes at my subtle concern. "I'm heading to the Grill."

"Is that smart?" I quoted, "You made an enemy, remember? Just right after you guys made a pact, you decided to break it."

"Like that pup will do anything!" He exclaimed, emanating foolish arrogance. His obnoxiousness would kill him some day. When I told him about Mason's weird encounter earlier, he raised an eyebrow. "Haven't you heard of intimidation? I would've thought you were a master of it by now-"

I muttered, "So not the point."

"Well, Tyler does have a crush on you," he remarked, a grin growing on his full lips. The speed on the meter slowed down to a more casual number; he was going twenty-five miles per hour on a forty miles per hour limit road. "Though if I have to be honest, I don't see the _deeper_ appeal-"

_"Get me home already!"_

"Temper, temper." Pulling over in front of Caroline's house, Damon parked his car and peered across the dashboard. The smirk had yet to leave his striking face, much to my infuriation. "Liz is inside. I hear her."

"Winslow? What about him?"

He muttered under his breath, "The coward? No."

I shook my head at him and slammed the door shut behind me, the chill of the evening air crawling up my spine. My hold on the crutches tightened; it felt like I was being watched. "It's surprising that your lack of sensitivity still astounds me."

"Hey," Damon called out, wearing an innocent look. I noticed his eyes drift down to the silver choker around my neck for a millisecond. "At least I won't kill him. That should be worth some credit."

Shooing him away with the intention of calling him tomorrow, I watched as the tail lights disappeared at the upcoming turn. The stairs on the porch proved to be a hassle to overcome, but it became easier when Elizabeth opened the door for me. Since I woke up from the hospital this morning, she had been supportive and . . . mother-like. Our conversation didn't breach the comfort of amicable topics until she reminded me about the historical volunteer picnic tomorrow. It was ultra awkward when Elizabeth mentioned about Caroline's part in her signing up for participation, ignorant about our fight.

Then she mercifully left me to my own devices when the clock struck ten and washed the last of the dirty dishes. "I'm waking up early to make lunch. I would've asked for Winslow's help, but he's with a friend tonight." She questioned, "Are you going? I mean, there are other things for you to do, even with the cast."

"Caroline wouldn't take no for an answer, but I'm not going to be much help. I'll head down to the Grill, try to spend time with my brother." _Hopefully._

At her chuckle, I wished her good night and glimpsed out the window. _I spent so many days unconscious . . ._ I had been taking the evening view for granted, which was a whole lot better compared to the sight of the hospital room's ceiling. It was hours since the sun set, the sky opaque and scarred with millions of stars. I wasn't sure how long I stared outside in a daze, subconsciously hearing her sickly sweet voice in my ears.

_"My dear sister," she whispered under the beeping cardiac monitor, caressing my calloused cheek. "Will you remember me, Varvara?"_

My heart nearly froze when I spotted a shady outline on the porch. The figure merged with the darkness so well that I had to squint to see the path clearly. "Oh!" I gasped with relief. Picking myself up with the crutches, I opened the door to greet the familiar brunette. "You ditched me earlier! Elena . . ." My words ran dry when I took in her jubilant curls and devilish smirk.

"Hello Chardonnay," she murmured silkily, scrutinizing me with extra care. "I decided it was time we meet face-to-face. I'm Katherine."

"Kath . . . No, don't bother. I know who you are," I snapped, forcing the stutters back into my throat. It probably wouldn't have mattered since she could hear the fast pounding of my heart, exposing all my fear and anxiety. _And she already knows me, or so that's what Isobel implied. _From her oval-shaped face down to her size seven and a half shoewear, she was the picture-perfect replica of Elena Gilbert. _But how is that possible?_

Katherine shrugged. "Isobel did her part then. Oh, and don't bother with your freaky powers. I know you're a breath from pathetic right now."

I frowned when I was getting the feeling that this wasn't our first encounter. Plus, I didn't appreciate being called _pathetic._ "How long have you kept tabs on me?" _On Winslow?_

"Don't be afraid," she taunted. "Call it naïve curiosity. I'm interested with my friends."

". . . Friends?"

In response, she waved her slender hand dismissively. "Explanations are for another time. Right now, I've come for one thing."

When Katherine pointed her manicured nail to the choker on my neck, I was just about ready to slam the door in her face. "Sorry, can't help you there." I mocked, "I doubt it'd suit you anyways, you know, with its vervain and all." There was no way I would hand over Sheila's gift, but it seemed the Salvatore brothers and I had underestimated her personal opinion on sentimental value.

"It was never yours in the first place."

"What do you want with it anyway?" I demanded crossly.

Katherine grinned with a tinge of malice. "Telling you would defeat the purpose of fun."

Nervous, I swallowed. "Well, it seems you're out of luck. What can you do if you can't get in the house?"

"I should say the same, but really, I don't need to get inside." The beautiful brunette stepped closer, a nasty smile growing on her lips. "The thing with you _humans_ is that you care too much. Mystic Falls is just crawling with so many loved ones to kill. I learned a thing or two from Isobel; always do my research." At my silence, she continued, "So who's first? Your witch friend, Bonnie? What about Alaric Saltzman, hmm? I hear he's fond of your group."

"That threat means nothing. He's Isobel's husband. I don't think she'd appreciate you killing him."

Amused, Katherine raised an eyebrow. "She's not here, is she? And if that's not enough to convince you, I could swear to hunt your brother down - for sport, boredom, you decide. I think he's at Eleven-Ten Ashwood Avenue, but honestly, I think Tyler would be a much better sport. He'll endure longer-"

"How do I know you'll keep your word after I . . . _hand_ this over? I don't trust you," I boldly stated, my heart aching at the mere thought of letting the choker go. If Katherine wanted this, then the choker was worth more than Sheila brought on.

"You don't," she retorted as she outstretched her palm. "Trust is overrated, but what other choice do you have? Your dear Winslow or a chain of metal?"

"Must be a cherished piece of chain." I stiffened when she only smirked in reply. With a heavy scowl, I unclasped the tie and curled my fingers around it before reluctantly tossing it to Katherine's direction. I could picture Sheila's indignation, but Winslow's safety meant more to me than a rare token that offered the occasional comfort.

She studied it briefly, the corners of her lips twitching upward in satisfaction. Her fingers avoided brushing against the vervain-filled pendant, idly twisting the laced bonds. "It's been quite a long time . . . Varvara."

"Varvara?" I felt rather pained at the bait she was tossing to me. "Y-You know Varvara?"

"Interested?"

My lips pursed into a sneer. "Obviously, or I wouldn't have asked."

"Like I said, that's all for another day." Katherine sent me a condescending look. "I'll be waiting for you to look for me soon . . . but don't take too long figuring out what you want. It's why you died _last time_." She paused, faking puzzlement. "Or wait, was it the _other_ time before . . ? It's hard to keep track since you've lived six other lifetimes."

I felt my eyes widened. _Six - no,_ seven_ lifetimes?_ This was my seventh life? "Katherine-"

With a wink, she didn't wait for my response, escaping with the choker and leaving me unharmed. The winds stirred at her wake, the cool breeze sending familiar shivers throughout my body. It wasn't long for my conscience to berate me for what I decided. _What did I just agree to?_


End file.
